Oh the Humanity
by Eudiamonia
Summary: In a dog eat dog world, life has never been easy. Kindness was scarce and friendship even scarcer. Now with monster set free to roam the surface, each oddly shaped face fixed with excited fanged grins and an extended hand to any fallen comrade one young, homeless human finds herself staring at the outward fingers of a certain skeleton. Gaster!Sans x OC Disclaimer on image
1. Chapter 1: Burning Heels

Her lungs burned, each pump of the leg slapped against hard concrete and sent prickles along the oxygen craving muscles.

And despite the sore pain that begged her to stop the young two man flashed a hearty grin behind her, the lips crooked in a way that almost seemed a snarl had a victorious laugh not flew between a toothy barricade.

"Get back here you little-"

Tch.

Reaching out the girl counted her blessing for the thin, dirty alley she had ducked into and knocked over a rusting trashcan filled to the brim with pure trash.

Metal clanked against the ground and bounced as a tall figure stumbled over the can, a strewn of curses following it.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth!" The young woman shouted over her shoulder, the once pained grin now a bit more cocky as they watched the figure fade from view.

Haha idiot.

Turning the corner, the concrete beneath her feet turned less cracked though the buildings around her were fresh with color life seemed uninterested. A few random morning birds filed through various stores, strained and weary smiles across their lips.

The young woman slowed, feet acted as fifty pounded weights to drag her to a halt.

Deep breaths racked her lungs and she found herself leaning against some brick building to catch what oxygen hovered in the air, each intake a labor of pain.

"Wooh," She heaved, silver eyes shadowed by a faded baseball cap flickered to stare at the bundle of fur in her arms," That was a close one."

The fur moved, white ears prickling from the mass and black beady eyes smiled up towards her,"Hio!" A squeaky voice called in excitement.

"Are you a'right Temmie?"

Those white ears flicked," A oKay Em!"

"Em?"

"Yeppie! That's what you are a huem!"

"Huem? Oh, do you mean human?"

"Mhmm! Em for short."

"Hahah sounds good to me. Glad to hear you're alright," A smile brisker across Em's face," Let's get you home."

"Alwight!" The little monster called, a large happy grin spread over their snout as the cute pup creature curled in her arms once more and pointed a palm over to her right,

Down there about half a mile. It's a wittle shop called Tems!"

"Tems huh? Named after you?"

It's was suppose to be small talk, something to keep the hyper child active and stop squirming in her arms.

"Named after all of us!"

What?

Maybe Temmie was a last name or something.

"So there's more of you huh?"

"Yep! A whole bunch!" Their voice was high and squeaky; Em couldn't help but chuckle she remembered when her voice sounded like that too.

"That's good you must love playing with your family!"

"I do, I do! Do you like to play with your family Em?"

"Well, I don't" Her voice stuttered, catching in her throat. How were you supposed to explain to family kid about parents not being around? "...my family's not around any more."

Their ears dropped unhappily snout turned into pout, "What! That's-that's not wight! You can join our family!" The words a whimper.

Em let out a giggle, her smile barely revealing a row of teeth, "I'm sure your parents have enough kids to worry about besides I'm nineteen that means I'm an adult and I have to take care of myself!" The young woman looked down towards the monster with a silver sparkle gleaming in her orbs, and as anticipated the child...pup...monster just sent a grin back to naive to take the look as anything but contentment.

"But don't you get lonely?" Temmie asked in curiosity, head tilting enough to have a large ear flop over his eye.

"Nah. I never get lonely."

"But-"

"Hey you!"

Em's leg froze, surely the idiot wouldn't be stupid enough to chase her through a busy street, turning two silver eyes focused on the panting, slime covered trash of a human. His green eyes blazed wit anger as he straightened up from panting.

"Get back here with my merchandise you little *****!"

Tch.

Teeth grind in her mouth, and the sneakers she wore screeched when she spun on her heel instantly making a dart for Temmie's home.

"Keep you head down." Em hissed towards the child in her arms who sucked and placed two paws over their ears.

And she pushed forward, huffing through the cramp in her side.

'Won't...make it.' Em thought through huffs, 'Don't have the...stamina..."

The man had chased her all the way from the shipping dock, exactly four miles away from their current location.

Em could run alright but not forever, the man had leverage over her. Being well fed and long legs gave him the energy to push farther than she could. Her scraggly limbs threatened to snap under the pressure of her pounding run.

Somewhere up ahead the crowd thickened, Tem's shop just located off a busy intersection in the small city that the two called home.

Em couldn't run anymore, even with the goal just ahead, but she could stall.

Crunching to a halt the girl placed Temmie down," Run! Go home and tell your parents to keep you safe alright?"

Hestiancy locked the creatures legs.

"Go!" She shouted above the roar of the crowd that had yet to notice any commotion. Not them at they would do anything even if they did notice, it was after a dog eat dog world and only the best survived.

Taking off in a patter of claws against concrete the child scurried into the fold and Em only turned when it's brown fur completely disappeared.

"You little slut," A light tink split the air and Em flinched at the sound of a knife popping from its handle.

"Heh. Pretty sure switchblades are illegal buddy." She grinned, the motion one of habit.

"Shut up. You just stole two thousand dollars from me."

"Pretty sure that was an actually person not money."

"It's a monster, what would a human like you care for something like them? There just here for us to use and gain."

"You're a twisted idiot aren't you?"

"Shut the hell up girl! You'll pay for the robbery and insults with your life!"

"Tempting offer but I'll pass."

"I said shut up!" He hissed leaping forward to swipe his knife, Em leapt back just in time to narrowly miss a mauling cut to the cheek.

Two more sipes and the girl found herself tucked into another alley, this one with a brick wall as a dead end. Silver eyes flickered between the barricade and the manic in front of her as the blade glinted in the sun.

Tch.

Her grin faltered into a snarl, nails digging into calloused palms.

And as fate would have it the little attacks continued in a fit of shrieks. Soft enough to drowned by the traffic noise, no one would ever hear her screams.

"Hehe maybe I'll just have some fun with you and leave you to rot." The man snarled.

Em's nose wrinkled, "Yeah I'll take the knife first."

The mans smirk slapped off and with a growl dashed forward swiping to the left, Em leapt to avoid only for the man to snicker and change his direction at the last second.

Damn.

A feint.

Pain exploded like fire crackers alone her side, the knife slicing a wound around the curve of her torso.

Damn it.

Damn it!

Gasping she staggered, hand instantly clutched towards the wound. Sticky blood coated the palm in seconds.

A single silver eyes flinched closed to wince at the pain while the other stayed trained on the thing in front of her, she wouldn't call him a man. He didn't deserve the title of human.

"Not so cocky now huh *****? You had your chance now you're dead."

He was right, even if she could flee she'd run out of blood before she's fine some place safe and going to a hospital was out of the question.

She would die here, at the mercy of a creature.

A creature that saw his victims demise and laughed at its pain, advancing with a new found victorious smirk.

"Say goodnight whore." His breath close enough to breeze across her face, the smell of rancid garbage hug to his frame.

Quietly Em raised her head, silver eyes meeting the green ones that threatened murder and prided herself in not back away as he raised the knife.

If she was going to die she would damn know well who did it.

The blade swung down and Em clenched her jaw at the expectation of pain.

Creamy white shot upwards, the ground from which they sprang crackling at the sudden appearance and silver and green eyes found themselves shocked at the thick bones that separated them, the knife embedded in one.

"NOT SO FAST HUMAN! FOR I THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAVE COME TO RESCUE THE SMALLER ONE!"

What?

Two incredulous look were shot towards the front of the alley, Em brave enough to peek her head around the row of bones that saved her to see a tall, broad should figured shadowed from the sun.

"Who the hell do you think you are fool?" The man called sending a look over his shoulder to the girl who gave a light shrug, flinching at the pull of the muscle along her side as the motion triggered more blood to pool from the open wound.

"MAYBE I HAVE DONE INTRODUCTIONS WRONG? FOR I SAID I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS HERE TO SAVE THE HUMAN IN WHICH YOU INTEND TO HARM."

For a second a blank of air hung only for the man to bend over laughing at the ridiculous exclamation.

Yeah that was great and all, stalling her death.

Thanks shadowy figure.

Actually, silver eyes glanced over the bones wondering if she had the strength to pry one from the ground to use as a staff but threw the idea away after seeing how thick the bones were.

"Look stupid, get out of here before I 'intend' myself to kill you."

"THE USE OF THAT WORD IS INCORRECT."

"Who the hell cares! Get out of the way and die!"

"I BELIEVE YOU MEANT TO SAY OR."

"Shut up!" The man hollered lunging towards the figure that immediately whisked to the side a few more proactive bones popping up block the attack.

A passive fighter, great.

Em watched hesitantly sneaking to the side of the alley, flinching as more blood pooled from the effort of walking.

"Just die already!" The man hollered after the fifth attempt and swung towards the left with a smirk as the figure followed to dodge.

No.

Silver eyes widened as they recognized the feint.

"No!" She screamed dashing forward and with a good solid smack jumped on the mans back to grab his arm and deliver a punch to the temple.

His fleshy body crumpled beneath her and she fell to the ground with a groan.

"HUMAN YOU ARE BLEEDING!"

"I'll be...fine..." She croaked out, watching the black dots that hung in her vision.

Em had to be seeing things as the face of her er savior came into view, above her hung the image of a skeleton. Two white beady pins of light hovering in those black eye sockets.

"I DO NOT THINK LOOSING SO MUCH BLOOD IS HEALTHY!"

"I'll be..."

"Em!"

Silver eyes drifted over towards the entrance where a brow furry ball dashed forward, two larger ones following behind," I-I went to go get my dad! And Pappy said he wanted to help-are...are you okay?"

"Temmie?" Em whispered, the pups image all but disoriented now and as she tried to left her head to get a better look everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2: Somewhere in between

She thought death would be peaceful.

It was suppose to be a release from mortal pain and sin if one persisted to do good on the earth.

At least that's what all the street walk preachers hollered day in and day out.

They must have gotten wrong somewhere in their book because this defiantly wasn't peaceful.

Everything was dark, to dark to even tell if someone was waving a hand in front of her face. Em had a body, at least she felt solid but hell what was a spirit suppose to feel like? When she was little she liked to imagine that they floated around, bodies simply too light to stand on the earth. But her body groaned in pain, a restricting vine tightened around her chest that pinned her to wherever she was and every twitch to get comfortable required the strangle to tighten.

Soon she couldn't breath at all...not that she needed to which was weird.

And watched the only existing thing besides herself, silvery swirls of mist directly overhead.

Thin, wiry, clouds that turned and twisted in odd snake-ish patterns.

Each one whispered hissing words, sometimes she caught them and other times they were white noise.

"Alone"

"Needs help."

"Poor child."

"Help...me...don't-"

"Leave."

Each caught line tightened her jaw, the muscle threatened to snap by the time Em turned her head away in hopes of zoning them out.

They were words all right, words spoken to her or over heard. Distant memories that left a bad taste in her mouth. Some were by people she knew, concerned teachers, the matron, friends and others random strangers whose pity looks were fresh in Em's mind.

This was hell.

Blinking the girl turned to watch the sky, well what felt like the sky with its swirling clouds of gossip.

Maybe it was Hell.

Tch.

"I'd sure prefer the fire and brimstone you know!" She shouted out, hoping by grace that the devil might change the channel on her torture.

Instead she was forced to sit there watching the clouds swirl just out of reach.

Screw this, she wanted out.

Her two hands reached around the vines, struggling to pull them apart. Whimpers echoed from her throat as they tightened, a burning pain striking through her side.

That wasn't enough to make her stop.

The girl thrashed, twisting whatever way she could until invisible ropes shot from nowhere. Gasping at the pain Em fought against the vines that pinned the two limbs down.

"Let me out!" She hollered, "I don't belong here!"

Each word echoed across the black and silver sky, her voice trailing through with a mockery.

Gah!

And with a final snarl, side pained by blistering fire the girl fell limp. The familiar feeling of hot sweat trickled down her brow, huh whom could have guessed spirits sweat?

"Personally, I found this place quite fitting for you."

Two silver orbs flashed at the new sound, muscles went rigid like they had been dunked in ice-cold water.

Em raised her neck, squinting to look from where it came.

"You won't find me child, don't strain yourself."

Huffing the girl dropped her head and winced when a sharp pain from the base of he skull to her brows. Oow.

"What do you want?"

An icy laugh echoed through the air that disturbed the silver swirls above, the strands shivered as if they too could feel the chill brought by the voice, "You don't want to know who I am? Or perhaps where you are?"

"Let me guess," Em hummed with an eye roll, "the devil and hell."

"Not quite." The voice seemed amused, it's volume hung with a light flutter of air.

"Then what?"

She was getting annoyed, bound by vines and vision incapability put her fragile nerves on high alert. Em defiantly didn't like this.

"Think of me as your subconscious." They responded.

Was that supposed to soothe her?

"Funny I don't think I would be afraid of my own subconscious."

"You're not afraid of me."

It hadn't been a question.

The words hung in the back of her throat, bulging to come out and leak into the inky air around her, "How do you know?" Em hated that the words were smaller than what she wanted, no tangible umph behind them. Weak.

"I am your subconscious I feel what you feel."

Right.

"That's bullcrap! Who are you?" This time they came out strong she made sure of that, Em wasn't going to tuck in her tail because of some spooky voice.

The voice didn't answer, instead engulfed her with a silence thick enough make her throat itch from chocking on it.

Perhaps they had wondered off, whom ever this "subconscious" was.

Damn it, this really was hell.

Everyone knows the devil loves to play tricks, this would be right up his alley. Er…Em tsked at her own choice of wording, alley was not the best term to use right now especially after she just died in one.

"It seems it's time for you to wake up now."

It was sudden enough to make the girl blink in surprise,

"Wait, what?" She gapped, "Wake up? I'm dead!"

Dead, she certainly felt dead why else would she be tied to the ground staring at old jarring memories.

"Not quite."

What kind of response was that?

If not dead then what? Limbo?

"Who. Are. You." The words were a growl, silver eyes sharp and seem to glow despite of the swallowing darkness.

"You're a very thick child aren't you?"

"You're my subconscious you tell me." Em snapped back, thriving in successfully making the figure shut up.

A sigh broke through the air and the voice came back, this time the light hearted amusement replaced with a dead solid, "Wake up."

The young woman woke up coughing and sputtering, not at all in the peaceful almost angelic composition like seen in movies. Those silver eyes flinched at the harsh, sudden light that assaulted them and a groan crackled through a sore pipe.

Where was she?

A single eyelid dared to open, cracking just enough to hurt as the light once again blinded any opening the way a swarm of mosquitos pester bare skin. Gah.

Slowly the orb adjusted and Em's heart froze at the sight of the sterile white bed she sat on surrounded by machines, her limbs demanded to flee. Only to stop mid flight, not caring any longer of the light both orbs glared down at the fabric restraints across her.

A large one pinned across her chest, tightened just enough to be uncomfortable and two more around the wrist that tingled with pin pricks.

"H-hey! Ta-take it e-easy okay?"

The silver orbs flashed over towards the noise that flinched under the scrutiny of a death glare. It was a small yellow dinosaur, dressed in a too long lab coat and large round glasses that consumed her small beady eyes.

Em watched with tense fist, her muscles groaning in protest at the struggle.

A soft, nervous smile flickered across the dinosaur's lips, "S-s-sorry abou-t the res-traints. Y-you were s-st-struggling so much i-it m-made it ha-hard t-to fi-fix you u-up."

Fix her up?

Oh..Oh!

Her pupils turned to glance at herself, the tattered shirt she had been wearing was gone and white itchy gauze lay wrapped around her stomach. Each breath she took pumped her stomach, Em could feel the stitches underneath rub against the fabric each time she exhaled.

Wonderful.

"Thank..you." Em responded after finding her voice, the muscle still refused to relax with being surrounded by the fluorescent lights, beeping machinery and the damn IV that punctured her arm, thick clear fluid pouring into the veins.

"I'll j-just-" The dinosaur stuttered pointing a claw over towards the restraints yet made no intention to move until her patient gave a light nod, Em was more than eager to be free being tied down really wasn't her thing.

'In more ways then one.' She thought with a huff as velcro ripped apart, the air filled with it's noise for a few brief seconds.

Excited was hardly the word to explain how she felt when the last band left her body but due to lack of any other term Em was exactly that, and perhaps a bit too much because the instant it left her body the young woman aimed to sit up, wincing with a hiss as pain clawed against her stomach muscle.

"O-oh careful!" The er…doctor stammered before placing a paw against Em's back and help the girl rise to her waist, "T-that was a-a nas-ty cut!"

"Thanks…again." Em replied lamely when fully seated, the gauze forced her to sit with a straightened back much to her own discomfort. Silver orbs glanced down to scratch at the red wrist, the restraints had been obnoxiously tight and every time Em flexed her had a series of prickles probed at the nerves.

Ants crawled around the base of her neck, and her rigid spine went even tighter as the silver eyes flickered to see the dinosaur glancing her over. Beady eyes lingering on the protruding outline of Em's ribcage.

Well damn, Em turned away biting her lip. She didn't want to see the pity that washed over the monsters face; she had lived with seeing that look too much.

"Alphys!"

"Bless you." Em replied not bothering to look up as the doctor sneezed.

"N-no ha-haha t-that's m-my name." Alphys introduced, a simple blue cloth gasped in her paws as she handed it over.

A t-shirt.

Under the strain of sore muscles Em slipped on the shirt and glanced down with a light smirk at the anime picture plastered over it, Mew Mew: Kissy Cutie.

Looking up, Em turned that smirk into grin as she saw the blush plastered over her doctors face who plastered a smile when the young woman's silver eyes caught Alphys beady ones that shimmered. Em recognized the smile, the kind children gave when they hovered by their parent's knees and peeked around them when someone caught their interest.

She wanted Em to introduce herself.

The young woman coughed lightly to clear her throat, "Oh. I'm-"

"YESSS! Em! You wakey up!" The high squeak of a voice caught the girls attention dn two silver eyes slipped over to the door that had been thrown open where a young dark brown furry scuttled over with a smile.

Cocking her head she watched the cat dog monster scramble over to jump up on the bed, a smile plastered across it's snout, "Temmie?" Em called and reached out to stroke the child.

"Yep! Yep! I was waitin for you!" They yipped, "I was worried you was hurt! You had a very bad boo-boo!" Their large eye glistened with wetness.

"Hey now," Em soothed and despite the cringing pain plucked the young child up to cradle, "I said I was fine right? And see I am!"

They giggled loudly, the sound sounded as a yipping bark.

"Where's your parents at?"

"Mo and Pa had to go back to da shop! But they was super duper happy with you! They said dat we could 'ave lots of play dates!"

"Heheh, I'll look forward to them!" The young girl replied running a hand through the dog cat child's dark man. Temmie let out a coo and leaned into the affection, their entire tiny little body vibrating.

How cute!

Thundering steps echoed in the hall, Em's hand tightened in between pets and glanced over towards the door that was slung open, bouncing against the wall with aloud smack.

"ALPHYS DINNER IS-HUMAN YOU ARE AWAKE!"

Silver eye blinked and Em's once tight jaw went slack, there hunching over in the doorway was a tall skeleton. Two bright eye sockets gleaming with light, a smile wide enough to match his height spread across his face.

She….she hadn't been imagining the face back in the alley then.

What the hell had she gotten herself into?


	3. Chapter 3: Common Courtesy

Not dead.

Defiantly not dead.

Em couldn't help that she hovered at the edge of her seat; sitting at an actually dinning chair to have food was strange.

The wood underneath her bum was so hot and sturdy that she helps but squirm about failing each time to find a comfortable position.

Placing her hands on the table only to seconds later pull them off, how was she suppose to sit?

"A-are y-you alright Em?"

Blinking the silver eyes paused a moment before responding to the name and glanced over at Alphys with a tight grin, "I'm er..fine."

The young woman didn't really feel inclined to say that this would be her first true meal in a week, she was certain that wouldn't go over well with the skeleton.

Papyrus. Yeah that was his name, like the font.

It was the only way she'd remember, the dusty desktops at her school were downloaded with Microsoft Word after all and playing around with the font had always been a joy when turning in unwanted essays.

Em remembered the first time the teacher had given control of the font type to the students and young little mischievous Em didn't hesitate in turning in a five page long essay written in Wingdings, the look on her teachers face was priceless! Needless to say of course it was the last time the teacher allowed 'creative will' in the essays.

"Em! Do you wanna taste my Temmie Flakes! Dar da best in the whole omgoshies world!"

"I don't want to take your food Temmie it's okay."

"If you say so Em!"

Guess she would have to get use to that name; it's seemed to stick after all.

"HUMAN I HAVE NOTICED YOU HAVE YET TO TASTE YOUR FOOD. I ASSURE YOU THAT THE GREAT PAPYRUS' CUSINE SKILLS ARE SUPERB TO ANY MEAL YOU HAVE HAD BEFORE!"

"Oh uh…thanks? Guess I'll just try it." Em tittered off, plucking up her fork to swirl the noodles of the spaghetti onto the silverware and hovered the mouthful in front of her lips.

It wasn't that she didn't want to eat because by the heavens she did, but she didn't really know these people.

'I mean they did save my life.' Em thought looking down her nose at the noodles.

It's not like they would waste the time fixing her up only to poison her over dinner.

Well all caution goes to the wind as they say.

Plucking in the fork her mouth, Em's teeth slide against the metal to pluck off the noodles and eagerly chomped through them.

The warm fresh noodles coated in tomato sauce made her mouth water, the pasta made it all of two bites before the large mouthful was swallowed down.

Em didn't even take time to responded as she shoveled in the food, slurping in as much food as she could get in your mouth.

"WOWIE YOU HUMANS HAVE WONDERFUL APETITES. BUT I REFUSE TO BE BEATEN BY YOU HUMAN!" Papyrus took Em's mumble as an agreement to the challenge and woofed down his own masterpiece.

Sure it wasn't great pasta, the noodles were still crunchy and the sauce was watery but to hell if she cared Em hadn't had warm food in such a long time.

Past the scarfing bites, Em couldn't help but smile as the skeleton practically drank his meal and rushed over to refill both of their plates.

"Dank ya!" She smiled up towards him, a noddle hanging out of her mouth that lay covered in sauce.

The entire meal was spent in such a manner, Em woofed down her food with an unnatural velocity and Papyrus competed in a one sided unintentional competition. Alphys sat back, nibbling on the noodles to be courteous but had every intention of heating up some ramen later while Temmie encouraged their little human to keep working.

Poor little human could hardly hear the sound over her own joying and utter satisfaction with a warm meal.

It wasn't until those annoying pin prickles tramped along her neck that Em looked up from her meal, Alphys once shadowed gaze turned bright pink and looked away nearly as fast as Em had caught her gaze.

The girl paused, fork hovering in the air with a gapped mouth. Swallowing Em straightened herself up, plopped the fork on the half empty plate and wiped her mouth on the inside of her arm.

"HAVE YOU CONCEDED DEAFEAT HUMAN?"

"Huh?" Em blinked looking up over towards the skeleton who was bent over the table force-feeding himself. What the-? Did he think they were racing? "Oh er yeah I concede Papyrus."

The skeleton released a wheeze of relief dropping the fork like it was acid, "THANK GOODNESS I WAS BEGINNING TO GROW FULL….NOT THAT SOMEONE AS GREAT I WOULD EVER CONSIDER GIVING UP!"

Em giggled lightly teeth revealed from the half-cocked smile, "Defiantly. There was no way I would ever win."

"DO NOT FEEL SADENNED DEAR HUMAN YOU MIGHT ONE DAY BE CAPABLE OF REACHING SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS AS MINE. WELL PERHAPS NOT TO MY LEVEL BUT YOU CAN BE A VERY GOOD SECOND." Papyrus reassured, head nodding as if agreeing with himself.

"Sounds great." It was only a half attempt at a conversation, the food sloshing in her stomach made Em's weary body feel heavy with sleep.

Ugh now she remembered why she never ate so much.

On the wall, the clock sprang to life. Silver eyes looked over to read the hands as it chimed out the hour with seven clicks but found herself rising a brow at the device. Instead of the basic roman numbers, the clock was made of chemistry elements.

Welp. At least it chimes for every hour; Em wouldn't have been able to read it otherwise.

"OH DEAR!" Papyrus jumped from his seat, the feeling of a bursting stomach now far from his midn it seemed, "I WAS TO ESCORT TEMMIE HOME BY SEVEN!"

"Papyrus!" Em gapped, deadlines were important after all missing one was not a simple sin.

"FEAR NOT I WILL USE MY TRUSTY SPEED TO RUSH OVER, COME LITTLE TEMMIE!" The skeleton plucked up the tiny monster in his arms before hammering over towards the door

"Buh-by Em!"

"By-" She couldn't even finish her sentence before the door was slammed shut behind the two kids, well one was actually a kid the other was a dog cat monster named Temmie. Giggling to herself over her own joke Em rose to collect the discarded plates.

Silver eyes glanced over towards the yellow dinosaur whose gaze hadn't left eh tablecloth since Em's third plate, which had been about twenty minutes ago

"I'll uh…wash these for you." Em spoke lamely raising up the dishes to indicate what she was talking about.

Alphys gaze snapped from the table towards the young shuffling woman in front of her, "Y-you don't have-"

"I want too!" Em coughed trying to rid her voice of the squeak, "I mean please, as a way of repaying you."

"It's j-just that-"

"Kitchens right here right?" Em asked turning towards the archway and began to walk through.

Th-this is-n't ex-x-xactly m-my h-house."

The human's bare feet slapped to a stop agaisnt the linoleum, "What?"

"Papyrus h-he ca-called m-me t-to co-come o-over in a r-rush."

"Oh. Well I just wash these for him anyway-woh."

The young woman's light smile slid of her face at the encounter before her, jaw slackened slightly and her grip on the plates loosened enough that they almost clattered to the ground.

Dirty dishes piled up on top of the counter and grew full enough in size to have lost room smashed under the counter that they now sat perched on the edge just ready to jump.

The currently used pots on the stove were bubbling over with red spagetthi sauce, red flecks of the juice sprayed over the entire kitchen.

How did he even manage to get it on the ceiling!?

"Pa-ps c-can ge-et me-essy wh-when h-he c-cook." Alpyhs explained rubbing the base of her neck.

"You can say that again."

Not able to just stand and watch the mess before her, Em magically balanced the plates on the counter feeling grimy for just adding to the mess before rushing over to bend and clean.

"Wh-what a-re y-you do-doing?"

"I uh…just trying to repay my debt I guess you could say."

Alphys beady eyes watched with tight curiosity as the human pranced around scooping up trash bits to place in a black trashcan she had found in the pantry. Her movements like a dash around the kitchen, hopscotching over plates, goopy stains and who knows what else.

And for some reason when Em looked up to notice the dinosaur there was a soft smile on the monsters face.

"L-let me-e he-lp." She offered holding out a clawed hand.

The two worked hard, it was the hardest Em had worked for someone else in long time. The last time had been her final days in the orphanage when she spent three days deep cleaning the place with as much supplies she could get her hands on. The hours had been grueling, the children were outside playing and it had been tempting to follow their lead but it was the smiles on their faces from the end product that made it worth it. Em knew it would be the same now.

Once the trash had been tossed, Em placing the bags in the front yard to be picked up by tomorrow's waste collectors, they set to work on the dishes. Outside sink's window Alphys watched the sunset with bright eyes.

"It's just so beautiful."

Em blinked looking up mid scrub with curiosity, it had been the first time she had heard Alphys say something without a stutter, "The uh sunset?"

The dinosaur nodded, "W-we didn't have th-this underground," A blush grew along the side other her nose, "I-It's ju-ust nice to see."

Curiously those silver eyes watched the sunrays dip behind the city skyscrapers, funny. She never did think about how weird it would feel to not see the sun ever morning and evening. It was the only constant in her life.

'It would be lonely without it.' Em decided, understanding now why the monster had such a fine appreciation.

Finishign off another dish the two sat in a light silence, Em's mind swarmed with a found memory that heated her heart, "I prefer the stars really," Alphys turned to look over the girl, "Me and my dad…we both loved pointing out constellations. On weekends we would go up to Mt. Ebbot to stargaze."

"W-what h-happened, t-to yo-your pa-parents I mean."

Em's soft smile fell, and the next dish slid out of her hand clattering against the metal with a resounding thud that made the scientist jump.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I sh-shouldn't have a-a-asked!" The stutter was worse, Alphys was frightened alright.

"It's fine." Em whispered, "I just prefer to not talk about it."

Another silence invoked the two this time a bit more noticeable, uncomfortable enough that the two females could hardly glance at each other without feeling odd. But they worked past that, Em knew it wasn't the dinosaurs fault for feeling interested however it wasn't really her story to know.

"I-I noticed when w-workign o-on your wo-wound t-that y-your ribcage wa-was p-protruding g-greatly. I-Is th-that normal for hu-mans?"

Goodness she was terrible at timing.

"No, it's not." Em began with a sigh, it was ether tell her this or see if she comes up with any other personal questions to ask, "I'm afraid I don't have the best income to maintain a healthy diet."

Hopefully that would satisfy her.

"T-the T-temmie m-mentioned th-that you w-were al-lone."

Apparently not.

"Yeah I was uh..kicked out of my orphanage when I turned eighteen, Couldn't keep an adult ya know?" Em didn't mind this so much; orphans weren't uncommon especially not after all the wars going on recently.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry I sh-shouldn't h-have-"

"It's not a problem really, they took good care of me for as long as they could but laws are laws after all." Em sighed, placing another dish in the other side of the sink to be rinsed. She could care less about being an orphan, it was the meaning of the title that hurt because no matter what person tried they were never enough to fill the void her absent parents left.

"S-so wh-where are y-you st-aying?"

It had never gone over well with anyone to say that she found places, crumbling buildings or half burnt homes to sleep in. Em defiantly hesitated in mentioning any of the prior, "I uh stay where I like."

"Y-you d-don't-"

A door slammed open, and EM couldn't help but flicn at the pounding sound.

"BROTHER PLEASE DO NOT BE MAD-" That was Papyrus she was sure of it.

"Papryus you let a thing into our home!" That was….well she didn't know, the voice was low and a bit gravely like a consistent hum.

"BUT SHE IS A VERY NICE THING AND SHE WAS HURT!"

"It's not a damn puppy! You can't just drag it in and take care of it!"

It?

What were they talking about?

Em's silver eyes flashed over towards Alphys, the poor monster seemed frozen in her spot. The plate she held still stuck under the water, hot liquid running over her claws. Looks like the monster wouldn't be telling her answering her anytime soon.

A blur of black and white flew into the kitchen, a single yellow eye glowed eerily in her direction, "You! Get out!"

Papyrus tumbled in, towering over the shorter skeleton that stood with balled fist and a steaming anger, "SANS PLEASE BROTHER."

"What do you think you're doing here?" That yellow orb never wavered off Em's frame, watching the girl grimace slightly as she held up the soap dripping plate in front of her.

"I was uh cleaning."

The skeleton blinked, yellow orb wavering lightly a it trained on the plate she held and how tight her grip was, "Cleaning?"

The word breathing out of his mouth in a disbelieving whisper.

Em shuffles awkwardly, silver eyes hesitantly looking into that glowing orb.

Why was it so easy to face a killer with a knife and yet she found herself dry swallowing at the sight of an eerie yellow glow?

"Well after Papryus saved my life and all I couldn't sit by easily without doing something for him in return."

Behind the shorter skeleton Papyrus eyes light up with shimmering light and that ridiculous grin of his turned even cheekier, his so called brother's yellow orb flickered between the two watching with interest at his overly excited sibling and this human that the dork seemed to find fun.

Em watched as Sans shoulders rolled, lowering and that yellow glow faded from his eye to reveal a simple white orb. The two watched each other for a moment trying to study each other past the tense atmosphere that was nearly a solid wall between them.

Scoffing the monster turned on his heels and pushed his way out of the room mumbling about not eating all their food only to follow up with a few curse words the devil would gap at.

"I THINK HE LIKES YOU!"

Two light brown eyebrows crunched together and Em wouldn't help but glance over the tall skeletons skull wondering if he had cracked it, "How can you tell?"

"WELL USUALLY HE THROWS PEOPLE OUT!"

"Ah."

And with that short click Em turned around to keep cleaning, Alphys somehow managed to thaw herself to flash the human a tight grin.


	4. Chapter 4: Friendship Pasta

_A/N: I know on this website you're not suppose write these author notes but I really just wanted to give a big thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed and commented on these chapters. It really is a big encouragement, so thanks a bunch :)_

The skeleton was odd even amongst monsters.

Em sat, scrunched in the small tight chair that cattycornered the couch. Grey eyes flickering over towards the monster that lay branched out as a fallen okay tree over a well used green couch that stuck out oddly against the newer interior.

His little fit yesterday hadn't left much room to study the odd features but now, with nothing to do but quick breathes in order to stop irritating the stitches on her side, Em found herself fascinated by the deep jagged cracks that ran opposite to each other on his eyes.

Just how did he get those?

Hell, how did he see at all?

Sure there were two white bulbs that watched the TV with a bored haze but just how did they work? Did he see in color?

Inwardly the girl sighed, moving on from the focus of his skull and dragged her eyes downward. With only a high school GED, Em could tell that his bone system wasn't exactly a duplicate of a humans'. Maybe it didn't have to be. He was a monster after all, weren't they just made of magic or something?

And what's with the holes in his palms, did they have like hand gauging or something in the Underground?

"Look all you like but no touchy, got it human?"

Snorting the human snorted, rising from the cramped chair to stretch, "Wouldn't want too. Trust me."

"Not as far as I could throw you." Sans added on, as the channel flipped for the third time in the past hour.

Teeth grinded against each other, and Em took no time in ducking into the kitchen. There wasn't a signle space that hadn't been scrubbed clean, five hours of each other and Sans had managed to make the girl fall back on her old impulsive habit of cleaning when angered. There was just satisfying about the sound of a Windex, and mops scrubbing away at unwanted grime that calmed Em's nerves.

But now what was she suppose to do?

It wasn't as if she could just leave, don't get her wrong she really did want to get some fresh air or anywhere far away from the annoying skeleton but that was a bit difficult to do when every ten steps resulted in her flinching at the irritating pain in her side.

Damn stitches.

A sigh played along the girls lips, and she found her hands automatically sticking themselves in pockets of an overly large cargo jacket, her jacket. Em could only imagine she looked funny in the overly large red exercise shorts that slid easily of her boney hips and the what was probably a crop top for Paps lay as a regular guys shirt, the entire wardrobe pulled together by the worn out jacket.

Heheh.

'I mean,' Em rubbed her neck, 'It's not like I ever look good.'

The only clothes she had owned for the past two years, was two shirts both of which had various fading images and a pair of pants cut up from abuse. Her shoes had been some regular converse in which the once black fabric was sun bleached red.

A growl erupted from her stomach, a feeling not unfamiliar to the girl. Quietly those grey eyes flickered over towards the microwave clock. It's bright, neon green lights reading three forty-five and Em sent off a cheeky grin.

That's means dinnertime, which also means cooking and therefor cleaning!

And hopefully a good hour or two away from that monster.

Inwardly grumbling incomprehensible the young woman moved about the kitchen, ignoring the ping in her side as she located the pots and reached up on her tippy toes to get the smallest one.

Setting the silver pan in the sink with a light clink, she flipped on the spot and waltzed over towards the pantry silently praying there would be more than spaghetti noodles. Opening it Em's hopes dampened, top to bottom of the large room was filled with every different kinds of pasta noodles. Bow tie, Macaroni, Penne, Wagon Wheels, squiggly ones, heck there were even alphabet shaped ones.

Well dang.

Em ran an absent hand through her hair; it's been a long time since she's cooked this large of a selection felt odd. Grabbing at a macaroni box, the one thing she actually knew how to cook, the girl set to work.

Pan on stove, pasta set to the side patiently waiting to be dumped in the water had been set to a boil.

Grey eyes looked about the kitchen, zeroing in on the large silver refrigerator. Em walked over tilting her head lightly at the large dent in the center shaped like a fist, did some try to punch through it?

Weird.

Swinging open the light clicked on and Em set to work picking out the cheeses available. Some were pretty cool, mostly mozzarella that was probably for spaghetti, but there was cheddar and some Parmesan that was probably also for spaghetti.

Each cheese was gathered in the girls arm who stumbled to keep them from tumbling out of her arms, grey eyes watched the cheddar that threatened to tumble out of it's Ziploc bag to collide with the floor in an act of suicide. Letting out a sigh Em set those next to the pasta, bubbles popping in the water pan and the girl poured in the pasta without the box. Paps had given her a heart attack the first time he did that.

Paps….

Em blinked, had froze as noodles poured into the boiling water with plop.

Oh…he would probably really love to try some of this!

It's the least she could do after everything.

Besides it was the only worthy offering she could afford, and it wasn't even her ingredients.

Goodness did she feel pitiful.

Shaking off the thought the young woman continued cooking; half of the pasta was poured into the pan and with a second thought she dumped in the other half. Even if Paps didn't like it, she defiantly would.

Next would be the sauce, three cheese macaroni wouldn't be complete without after all.

Em couldn't shake the light smile on her lips as she stirred the melting pot of cheese; it's scent milky and rich with cream. She remembered the first time the smell had hit her nose all those years ago, one delicious enough to make her stomach rumble loud enough to be hear din kitchen from the upstairs bedroom.

Gammy always did have a knack for making good food though, it was by her blessing that Em learned how to cook or else the young woman would be the one boiling pasta in the box.

Giggling to herself the young woman abandoned her sauce, once it was swirled in a mass of orange colors, to look around for a pan.

The noodles should be done now, it was time to throw the foods together and top it with extra cheese.

'Mm. Maybe even some breadcrumbs if they have a loaf.' Em thought, mouth watering at the thought of her food being so close to done.

Her knees popped lightly as she crouched to open the bottom cabinet pocking her head in to peer through the shallow darkness in a vain search.

"It's in the top cabinet by the fridge."

Em jumped, head smacking on the inside of the counter and she fell back landing on the clean floor in a heap of fear. Grey eyes wide at the sudden voice, each muscle tight, nervous system all sending the same reaction to run away from whatever predator crouched to attack.

No. She was safe, She was in a home. She was welcomed here.

Those frightened bright eyes turned dark while they narrowed at the smirking skeleton, who leaned lamely in the doorway.

How had she not noticed him?

Standing up, Em abandoned her shattered dignity that lay as pieces on the floor and made her way to the cabinet.

"What no thank you?"

"Thank you." She snapped, not bothering to turn and look at the smirk she could feel radiating from his face. The ceramic dish was cold against her hot palm, and each digit gripped the sides as if they intended to crack the surface.

"That was a pretty loud bang."

Sans voice still hovered by the doorway, yet each word managed to carry with the volume of screeching car destined to crash.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't."

Grey orbs rolled, threatening to get stuck with the velocity in which they moved. Snide comments after snide comments. Does Sans know anything besides being rude?

"It was a observation." He finished; smoothly adding in the words with a hinge of satisfaction at the way she slammed the pan down on the counter to grab the fresh noodles.

"Then I'm sure you can deduce that it hurt Sherlock." It didn't hurt that bad, in fact the pain was a dull throb now but Em had to take the chance for a retort.

Gah, she was acting like a child. Since when did she start allowing people to get to her huh? A man had threatened her with a knife about two maybe three days ago and all she had done was laugh. Sans says one little arrogant comment….oh that's what it was.

Arrogance.

Em hated that cheap form of air, insecurities hidden by a flick of a nose in the air.

"You're pretty quick for a street rat."

And there it was the flick of the nose in the air.

"I did graduate from high school." She'd through it out there like any other conversation, taking a deep breathe as she successfully combined the cheese and noodles without spilling. Now all she had to do was top it off with some extra cheddar, then Paps and her could sit down for a joyful meal together. The rude brother always went out, at least he had for the time she had been here. Hah, maybe it was her presence that made him scat.

"That's a surprise."

It's really not, she was top in her class after all. Em's fault wasn't in her lack of trying it was her lack of everything else, because in a dog eat dog world the purebreds get all the bones.

Grey eyes shoot a glare, the skeleton sauntered over quietly and watched with bored eye sockets as she prepped dinner. His boney little digits clacked lightly on the counter, in a rhythm Em was unfamiliar with.

She wouldn't correct him, she would not stoop to his level of petty bickerment. Em could be better than that, not always but she could.

"Mm. Maybe I was wrong about the quick part."

A single eye twitched nope she had too much faith in herself, Em couldn't do it.

"Oh what do you know!" Em spat in his direction, the monster didn't flinch at the biting words and didn't even bother to stifle his smile behind the sleeve fo his black jacket.

Course he was enjoying this.

"A lot more than you apparently," He drawled, lazily, "A lot more than most humans too."

A fact. He makes it sound like a freakin' fact.

In a pitiful moment of rage, Em could feel her face heat up; hands tighten around the spoon in her hand.

Sans didn't have to like her, hell he didn't have to like anyone.

But it was not his right to blame her lacking on the race that destroyed her.

What was his issue anyways? What right did he have to be mad at humans!

And before she could stop herself the very question came out

"Why the hell do you hate-"

No.

That was not a question to ask Sans, that was not a question to ever ask a monster, she could see it in the way his eye sockets narrowed.

She knew exactly why he had the right because it was the same right she had.

"Never mind." Em stammered, turning her attention back to mixing the cheese and noddle's together.

"No, say it." It wasn't nice, not in the way one might plead a friend to repeat a sentence they didn't hear. Sans words were acid, waiting to trickle into a blood stream.

The young humans hands quaked for a second, trying to mask the sudden chilling fear by sprinkling on the last bit of cheese.

"Say it." He demanded, standing up and left the casual leaning position to rise to his full height.

Em's jaw tightened slightly, grey eyes flickered towards the monster, "I answered it myself."

"Then tell me why huh?" The skeleton asked, an mocking growl in the back of his throat, "Why would I, a monster, hate humans so much?"

Em's body flinched in the same manner as when she heard the knife open up to the air.

"Can't do it can you?" He was seething, a foot away and his words struck her gut with the stinging bite of a blade, "You humans can never accept your own damn guilt's, pathetic."

 _"You are pathetic and don't forget that runt."_

Grey eyes shattered at the words, splintered with dark clouds of recognition.

There weren't enough fingers in the world to count how many times she was called that.

Now a spoon was never a good weapon but it sure as hell was frightening when Em lashed around pointing a cheese covered silverware aimed at the skeletons chest.

"Don't you dare call me that." She growled, grey eyes rising to glare at the strained eye sockets," Don't you dare say I'm pathetic. You don't now me, you don't know what they've done to me. You think monsters are the only ones that suffer by human hands?" A harsh laugh ripped through her throat, "Let me let you in on a secret, no one hates humans more than other humans. We love to make each other suffer. That little war between monsters and humans was a prelude compared to the one I've lived through."

Whatever produced those little white orbs in Sans eyes stopped, his specs shrunk and for once they looked almost empty of everything but darkness expect for the slight flicker of light that crossed her face. Em didn't think it possible for one to slacken a jaw without lips but her she was a witness to the event, Sans mouth gapped lightly as if mid insult only to stop.

Had she really taken him so aback?

"HUMAN! SANS!" The words rang through the door before the poor wooden piece was flung open, thudding against the banged up wall in the living room, "I AM HOME! OOOH! WHAT IS THAT WONDERFUL SMELL?"

Sending one last good glare, Em dropped her arm and made her way to the living room, "Hi Papyrus. "I uh made dinner."

A flicker of an even larger smile appeared on his face, and Em's heart soared until she saw it drop into a large foreboding scowl, "BROTHER! YOU WERE NOT TO ALLOW THE HUMAN TO MOVE FROM HER SPOT! SHE COULD HAVE INJURED HERSELF!"

"What can I say," The sudden closeness of the voice made Em grimace and she stepped to the side out of the kitchen doorframe where Sans had appeared, "She's a feisty one. Couldn't have stopped her if I tried."

"BUT I BET YOU DID NOT TRY! YOU NEVER TRY!"

"Don't worry about it Papyrus. I wanted to do this for you, as repayment." Em smiled lightly, more than a bit flattered that he would care so much about her. This monster really was wonderful. Sucks he has to be related to Sans.

Those gleaming eyes lit with blinding stars and the young human found herself scooped up into a gentle hug.

"THEN I ACCEPT WHAT YOU DID BUT TOMORROW YOU MUST PROMISE TO LET ME COOK MY OWN PERFECTION THAT IS FRIENDSHIP PASTA!"

"I promise Papyrus."

Laughing the monster set her down on her feet before grasping her wrist and dragging her towards the kitchen table, excitedly asking about what it was. Em shooed him away from the meal and insisted that she make the plates, she hadn't seen someone so eager to try her food since before well…

"Alrighty here you go. There's more if you want seconds." Em offered plopping down the large plate in front of him and watched with a small smile as he scooped in a large spoonful.

"WOWIE THIS IS GREAT! YOU MUST TEACH ME HOW TO COOK THIS DISH! THEN I THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN HELP YOU PERFECT IT! I AM POSITIVE WITH SOME EXTRA SPICES THIS MEAL WILL BE FIVE STAR!"

"Heheh. Thanks Papyrus." The human couldn't be more relieved, breathing out a nice breath she hadn't known she was holding Em moved back over towards the dish and scooped out two more nice heaping's on separate plates.

Maybe since Paps liked it so much…Em clicked down the extra plate on an empty spot before sitting down next to the skeleton with her won. Maybe since Paps liked it so much maybe Sans will too.

Grey eyes looked up towards the shorter monster that hung in the doorway, two little white eyes settling on the steamed pasta and she sent a nod towards the food.

Smirking lightly Sans let out a huff, waltzed over to grab the plate and make his way back over towards the living room where the TV started blaring seconds later.

Well it was a start.


	5. Chapter 5: Unwilling Savior

Sans still didn't like her.

That idiot of a skeleton brother that growled too much and hardly acted on empty threats fancied himself to insult her at every flip of a dime even after accepting the meal!

And so far the morning was going as the other three past days had

Em's body was spread lazily over the living room couch, cocooned in a horde of blankets that Papyrus insisted she use after convincing him to sleep in his own bed for a change and like the other two nights those silver orbs remained glued on the ceiling, wondering exactly how she had gotten herself into this situation.

Their was scuffling at the end of the wall that ran perpendicular to the corner of the living room where Paps and Sans room where.

The earlier mention was up and ready to begin his day, eager for whatever fun nonsensical thing she had planned. In a few of their conversations Paps mentioned his line of work, well by accident he had over spoken about training some new recruits. When Em had asked about it the monster had sputtered a random sentence before stumbling out the door.

It wasn't like it was her authority to know anyways.

'Looks like I won't be getting any more sleep tonight' Em sighed when a loud resounding bang thudded in Paps room.

Turning on her side the girl reached over to pluck the large TV remote of the wooden coffee table. The machine woke with a static yawn and bright colors flashed through the darkened room, casting odd shadows against the furniture.

A classic cartoon was on and Em watched in dead brained amusement as the two characters chased each other around, slinging ridiculous weapons like frying pans and rocket launchers at each other.

For the past few days this is all Em did, well when Paps was at home the skeleton insisted she not move from her spot unless absolutely critical. The over zealous monster was worried about her pulling her stitches out, Em tried to reassure him that it wasn't so easy to do that but Pap wouldn't listen to another word of it.

"Human!" Pap hissed as his shadow creaked behind the couch; Em looked up with a lazy grin at the twinkle in his eyes sockets.

"YOU ARE AWAKE! WONDERFUL!"

Em snickered lightly at the sudden outburst of his booming voice, "Yep yep, I am. Are you off to work again?"

"YES PLEASE TAKE CARE! I HAVE MADE SOME SPAGHETTI FOR YOU TO PARTAKE OF WHILE I AM GONE. IF THERE IS ANYTHIGN YOU NEED PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL."

Em didn't have a phone, and there wasn't a landline as far as she knew in the house but the girl bit her tongue not wanting to worry the gentle giant.

"Sure thing Paps."

"GOODBYE HUMAN!"

"Later." She yawned before settling back on the couch, cuddling with the TV remote as she kicked her feet out from under the covers and sighed at the cold that nipped at the warm skin.

The feeling of having a home, a bed, somewhere to eat and use facilities without begging or fighting over who goes first. Her dog eat dog world, changed for the better.

Each stressed muscles tension drained from her body, soaking into the plush couch beneath and disappeared into the cushions. How great it felt to enjoy luxury.

'But just how long would it last?' The nagging words hadn't left her head since the first night and were in fact the reason she found herself awake until ungodly hours.

The silver orbs disappeared behind pale eyelids, it was better to focus on that when it came Em had decided and snuggled closer to the pillow enjoying the familiar scent of burnt cigarette buds and tomatoes juice that wafted off the fabric.

It had been a year and a half since Em found herself enjoying such comforts, lately her only since of ease came from finding a place dry and ridden with bugs.

She could get use to a life like this.

And why not?

Why didn't she? What stopped her from trying to get a nice life?

'Probably the fact that no one willingly hires an under age teenage girl who can't afford good clothes and much less indoor plumbing.' Em thought with a sigh as she sunk further in.

The girl after being kicked out of the orphanage tried to get a job, fourteen months of throwing herself around and gaining odd, dead end jobs that paid just enough for her to scrape by.

Em wanted to be angry, wanted to curse her circumstances and punch ever pitiful looked tossed her way when she resorted to begging but who was there to blame beside herself?

Her parents were gone.

Brother was gone.

The government, to whom the reason for the prior statements occurred, was nothing more than an inanimate object controlled by countless members of society rooted in greed.

Em was alone with no one to swear at but herself.

"Wake up."

Silver eyes flashed open, heart pausing at the sudden sentence and flickered up towards the gauntly snarl of Sans. The shorter skeleton had his arms crossed over a crinkled grey shirt, a color that perfectly matched that wretched scowl of his.

"I am awake." Em muttered shifting slightly to glance back at the TV where a new old cartoon was playing, huh guess she actually fell to sleep.

And the idiot had the audacity to force her to wake up.

"Right that's why you were drooling on my couch cushion."

Hmp.

Was all that the monster got in return, Em didn't even care when his eyes dug daggers into her back.

"Move." His gravely voice was really starting to grate on her nerves, Em didn't even bother to turn around to see rather shuffled again to fully face her back towards him.

"Why?" The girl asked picking at dirt from underneath her nails.

"Because I said so."

"Oh well in that case," Em started to rise, placing her hands underneath and picked herself up to send a smirk over towards the monster, "no." She shot with a wide grin and flopped back down.

Even from down here she could hear his teeth grind together, "You're on my couch."

"You have a lounge chair." The human replied lazily waving her hand in the direction of a large square shadow.

"It's _my_ couch."

Goodness he sounded like a child.

"Suck it up."

Em's brows furrowed together when a yellow glow outlined her body, what the hell?

A scream ripped from her lips as her body was thrown roughly off the couch, back slapping against the plush stomach of the lounge chair. Em's ash brown hair fell in front of her face as the girl glared daggers at the upside down skeleton that flashed a satisfied smirk in her direction before plopping down on the now empty couch. A single yellow-eyed wink sent her way.

"Ass." She seethed throw grinded teeth as she straightened herself up the muscles creaked with a wail that made the girl cringe at her soreness.

"And it's a pretty hot one too princess."

To think she almost prefers human to these nicknames, Princess? Seriously?

"Screw you."

"No thanks, I don't want to get a disease."

That was it, Em couldn't take the insults any longer and rose from the chair with the rest of her shattered dignity. Long legs strutting over towards the front door where her hat and coat had been lazily discarded in the shoe closet.

The door slamming close louder than she intended but didn't care as she shoved on the hat and hardly enjoyed the normal comforting material of the warm cargo jacket.

"Where are _you_ going?"

Silver eyes glared over at the skeleton that lay sprawled out glued on the TV, his head not even visible over the couch by the way his was laying.

"Out!" She snapped before throwing open the front door and slammed it behind her with a satisfying shudder of the windows.

Em was fuming, anger pumping through her veins as thick as her blood. The pain of her bare feet slapping against the concrete chilled from overnight temperatures were hardly recognized

Goosebumps rose along her bare legs and Em pressed forward, covered only the jacket and baggy t-shirt and shorts Paps had loan her the things were massive compared to her petite frame sitting more as a dress on the boney underfed figure.

Silver eyes rolled in annoyance at the thought of Sans that prick of a monster with a hate against humanity.

Sure she got it, she got the anger of what humans had done to his race she'd be pretty pissed off too if the monster had looked them underground for like..like…well she didn't know how damn long. But that didn't justify his **** eating attitude towards her, Em had been nothing but pleasant….mostly.

'At least Paps finally convinced him to stop calling me an it.' Em thought quietly, fixing the hat on her hand as a chill wind broke through the air and fluttered the loose fitting accessory.

A risign light caught the girls eye, and her feet slowed to watch as light pink rays broke through the night sky.

The sunrise.

 _"W-we didn't have th-this underground,"_

Alphys words rang through the human's head who for the first time wondered what even she took for granted, someone who amongst this society had less than any else still had more than the monsters did.

Her stomach twisted at the thought, a wave of sickness brushing through the muscle and made vile crawl in her throat.

That was wrong.

Quietly those silver eyes watched the rays, silently memorizing the sight with a promise to never take the heated raise for granted, to swear at them when summer brought peeling skin or even the lack of that warmth when winter promised frost bite.

Em hoped that the monsters could find their home here on the surface, after all they've been through they deserved happiness more than most on this planet.

'Well maybe not Sans, he sucks' She thought with a light snort, only half meaning the threat.

For someone who hated humans as much as him she'd thought he just give up entirely on them and stay underground or maybe in a reclusive country side but no he choose the damn middle of the largest city in a five hundred miles.

Her feet moved aimlessly through the city streets felling oddly comfortably with the motion and spent her time glancing at the sky above, the few stars that broke through the pollution density to shine made her smile.

It seems even with the worst against them, the stars refuse to go out.

Em was sure there was some deeper meaning to that, a long lengthy quote about perseverance but to her it just gave her hope filled her with something she thought she had lost long ago.

Determination.

Hmp.

Her eyes lowered to the ground, trying to hide the cheeky grin that spread along her face.

Man she couldn't deny it could she? Getting all mushy again, three days with a normal life and she's lost her natural hard edge.

Temmie flashed through her mind, the little cat dog with a smile nearly as large as their flappy ears.

Eh maybe she's always been a sap.

"Hey there pretty lady."

Her smile had never slid so fast off as it did then, feet grinded to a halt and scrapped on the concrete in a painful rip.

Those silver orbs narrowed at the tall shadowed figure, leant against the side of an alleyway.

"Wanna come over here for a bit?"

Em nose crinkled, disgusted at the figure who shifted to hold a single hand out and make a little gesture for her to follow.

Not with you sicko.

Swiping her gaze away Em's feet moved forward stinging as they tapped on the concrete.

"Hey! I was talking to you!" The figure lashed out moving faster than Em could dash away and a large coarse hand slapped against her wrist.

"Let me go!" She hollered, kicking out blindly around her as she stumbled into the alleyway. The morning light caught on the tiny bits of sharpened glass bottle pieces that lay as traps along the grim soaked ground and Em ran right into them. Pain pulsed along her the nerves of her calloused feet, two grey eyes looked from the blood soaking ground to the man who stood casually in front of her.

"Get out of the way."

"Hehe." All the man did was laugh, chuckling because he knew despite the growled threat Em wouldn't be able to dash away with an injured foot, "Hope you have nine lives kitten, you're about to use one."

Be intimidating as he liked, Em wasn't scared of a death threat.

Her figner balled, and the girl took a hope forward lunging with an unbalanced punch, "I said get out of the way!"

Oh and did she clip him alright, enough to make the man stumble slightly. In the excitement of freedom Em leapt forward, though her wide smile disappeared as pain crumpled her leg out from under her.

And a deep throated growl bursted from behind her, a meaty hand digging through her tradgedy that was hair.

Brick wall meeting her back fast enough for her breath to wheeze out, silver eyes focusing in on the man that held her hostage.

A rough, crooked grin spread across that reached beard of his, the teeth stained yellow by the cigarette ash clinging to his beard hair and crooked. Brown eyes hazy with clouds, bags piled under the orbs and Em couldn't help but cough at the smell of alcohol seeping off of him like colonel. So those were his bottles.

"Like it rough huh? I can get with that. You're a cute little thing too, pretty up close." He breathed a gas of nauseous liquor.

"Yeah can't say the same thing to you buddy." Em struggled, flinching as his hands tightened on her wrist.

"Oo. Feisty thing aren't you, lucky for you I like a girl with a mouth. They make the best kissers."

"Screw off!"

"That's the idea girlie."

The words had Em freezing, silver eyes widened at the sudden realization that made an anchor plunge through her stomach. Sure she had been held hostage like this, other homeless people can get pretty tense and fights were often to break out but she was never, ever threatened with…with this!

"L-let me go."

"Aw what happened to that tongue of yours huh? Maybe a little fun will bring it back." The man chuckled like a cough was stuck in his throat and readjusted to hold her two thin wrists in one meaty hand. His now free one traveled to her thigh playing with the edges of her shirt, "Now hold still and be good, maybe daddy will give you a treat."

His head titled down, beard brushing against the soft flesh of her neck and that meaty hand rubbed against her thigh.

Em's screams were caught in throat, coming out only as desperate sobs.

"St-stop! Stop!" She thrashed, only for her legs to be caught and stopped by her assaulter, "STOP IT!"

Her silver eyes squished close the minute his hand traveled up along her thigh, damn it! Damn it!

What was wrong with her?

When did she get so weak to let a man do this to her?

But when was this ever a threat?

Men never wanted to touch her before they sneered at the smell of trash that wafted off of her, only the flies acted attracted to the heap of a mess she was.

The mans hands flew off of her and somewhere in the alley Em heard a gasping crack of a body hitting brick.

"I think the pretty lady told you to stop."

Silver orbs slid over towards the alleyways entrance, where Sans stood with a glowing yellow eye and a single hand doused in a fire of the same color. Em slid to the ground, arms folded over her knees that tucked in her chest as the skeleton paced over towards the man that groaned attempting to sit up with shaky hands.

With the one flaming hand of his, Sans tightened the digits into a ball and the man hollered, his body thrown to the floor shaking as if gravity was crushing him.

"Stop it! Please stop it!"

Sans hand just tightened further, both humans flinched at the sound of cracking bones and the man gasped in pain with what little air he had left.

"STOP IT!"

The yellow outline around the man faded, Em's assaulter laid panting on the ground and coughed. Wet liquid leaking from the open, gapping mouth.

"Do you get it now?" Sans voice was low, the gravel edge to it sharp and cut the air as a knife.

The man shook at the tone, staggering to look up towards the monster, "Get…what?"

"What stop means?"

All Em could see with Sans standing in front of him was the man nod, but his quaking arms were shivering from more than just strain.

"Good, now get out of here you disgusting creature."

The man took his cue, jumping to his feet in a hurry despite the obvious pain he was in and limped a way not even bothering to shoot Em a glance on his way out of the alley. Who saw the wide eyed terror and nervous sweat that bleed down the mans brow.

Boots hit concrete with heavy, sure steps stopping only as they grew a foot away.

"Hey." Sans voice rang and echoed between the buildings walls as he knelt down. The skeleton rose a hand that froze when she saw the girl flinch, deciding the better of it he lowered the appendage digits lightly tightening at her reaction.

"Are you uh," He coughed to clear the waver in his throat,"…alright? Did he…touch you?"

"No…" Em bit her lip hating the quiver that shook as she thought about the circumstances had Sans not interfered, "..n-ot like that."

The monster let out a sigh, Em's hair ruffled at the sudden breath and her eyes blinked in realization to how close they were. From this close she could see the smooth dents in Sans skull that appeared gone at any other distance, "Thank gods." He gave a light smile.

Em watched the smile, mental wondering in her subconscious just how he could do that without lips but put the question away for a later date. Two white bulbs watched her, Sans stare sent prickles over her skin that made the girl nibble on her lip in annoyance. She really didn't appreciate being stared at.

The moment passed to soon, Sans stood up offering out a hand "Come on lets get you home, hell knows what Paps'll do if we're both gone when he gets back."

Hesitating for a moment Em took the digits that wiggled in front of her impatiently and stumbled to her feet letting out a whimper when a sharp pain rang through her foot. Lifting the appendage up Em flinched at the shards of glimmering glass that lay coated in blood.

"Is that-"

"Yeah, looks like I stepped on some broken pieces." Em admitted with a tight grin, wondering where she was suppose to get tweezers living with two literal walking skeletons, "But I'll be fine."

"Tch."

Silver eyes glanced up at the monster with curiosity at the sound, a wide smirk was plastered over his face that even in the shadows of the alley was bright with amusement, "You humans sure are fragile."

A light growl bolted from Em's throat and the girl started to walk away, angling her foot so that she walked on it's side. The muscles pinched against the glass and stung from each step but she didn't care.

"Where you goin?" Sans called, still standing in the alley with his hands tucked into his jeans pockets dressed in the ever casual leather jacket that hung over his skeletal frame.

When did he get dressed?

"Home." Em called over her shoulder as she rounded the corner, shoulders tense from the ringing pain in her foot.

The skeleton followed with ease, hell he eve had to slow down to keep up with her, "Not anytime fast."

"So what," The human scoffed, "I'll get there eventually."

For a moment those white bulbs looked her over, lingering on the poor damaged foot before a smirk was tossed her way. Em's silver orbs narrowed at the smile.

"I'll carry you."

Her once genuine glare turned wide genuinely surprised at the offer and her feet came to a stop. The great Sans offering to help a petty human? Never.

"If you beg that is." He added with a cock of the head, smirk widening from whatever sinister scenario flickered through his brain.

Letting out a well-deserved snort Em kept going, "I'll walk."

"Sure. Sure alright." His voice was laid back, maybe even wavering on tired had Em been listening closely.

The two walk without saying much, EM's silver orbs look over the boy from the corner of their sockets. He sure was a lot short than Papryus about a full foot and yet he was still a good three inches taller than her but maybe because Em was slouching. And with those two jagged lines that cut through his eye sockets, Em found herself staring at them again. For humans that would be enough to kill them but a monster….well maybe it was like there form of a birth defect.

Two white bulbs flickered over to catch her gaze and Em's studying snapped to a close, training her silver eyes on the concrete bellow to focus on the ground.

"You know," Sans drawled, a long deep breath that caught the girls attention, "You should really learn to watch where you're going."

What?

Her bad foot wacked against something plastic, pain jolting up the nerves and Em was brought to a tumbling halt as she nearly volleyed over herself. A squeal of surprise echoing from her throat only to pause mid holler when two arms caught her mid fall.

A wicked grin was plastered on her saviors face that made her snarl, "See? Maybe if you weren't so distracted you'd have seen the traffic cone, my bad for being so attractive."

"Let me go." Em growled, tugging away from the hand that held her arm the other was firmly wrapped around her waist.

Sans cocked a single eye socket, "You sure about that?" He asked loosening just enough for her to start falling again.

"No no no! Steady me!"

"I don't take orders from you girlie….now maybe if you begged me to carry you. Well than I would a bit more cooperative."

"You set me-"

"Is that begging I hear?"

Em growled, the frustrated groan breaking up the monotony of the morning air, "Sans. Will you please carry me." Her voice as acoustic as a flat line.

"You can do better than that." Sans encouraged, yet again loosening his grip.

The girl squealed lightly her one free hand flying out to grab the skeletons jacket, "Fine! Fine!"

Holding tight once more the monster waited with a cocky grin and excited white eyes.

"Sans," Em gave a small pout that hid her tight jaw, looking up with large silver orbs, "Will you please carry me? I can't walk."

The monster let out a chuckle and in one swift moment plucked the girl from the air, placing her on his back with ease, "All you had to do was ask sweetheart."

Em's face went beat red and she was grateful that the monster didn't look over his shoulder as he started trotting home, she hasn't had a piggy back ride since she was six! Burying her hot face in the fur of his leather jacket the girl considered smothering herself in the soft feathers that smelled faintly of tomatoes and cigarette smoke.

"Hey now no drooling on the jacket."

"I don't drool!"

A laugh shook her frame as the skeleton shifted her on his back, cold boney hands wrapped tightly around her bare knees. Sans chuckle was light and easy hearted, a laugh that came without effort.

Pinching her features Em placed her cheek against the cool leather, and watched the city go by. The tall buildings sturdy and beautiful by the smooth stone that made them. Em liked to watch the people who came in and out, wondering what their lives might be like. Wondering who they loved, cherished, admired, who their heroes were.

Heroes….

Squirming to get more comfortable the girl let out a yawn, hazily Em saw Sans shoot a look back towards her probably checking to see if she had drooled on his jacket.

It would bother her, Em decided without knowing why this human hating monster mimicked his brother actions to go out of his way and rescue her.

"Why..did you save me? I mean it's not like you actually enjoy me being around." The girls voice was small, almost mousy by the yawn it came out in.

Em didn't like this, this constant reliance on others to protect her. After so long it was her usually helping everyone else, it felt…weird. It made her stomach squirm and nerves dance with an irritation at the fact of this being the second time in one week Em was unsuccessful in helping herself.

There was never an answer, at least not one that Em heard but then again she did fall asleep almost directly after asking the question.


	6. Chapter 6: One Hot Deal

They never told Papyrus what happened and luckily never questioned why her foot was wrapped.

Sans had quietly asked her not to and Em was quick to agree, it was an event she preferred forgetting anyways.

There was at least one good thing that came from the….experience, Sans had become almost bearable.

His usual insults were more of a tease; something to keep him entertained and lighten the mood when Em found herself staring out the kitchen window every night while cleaning the dishes.

It was almost weird that the two could say they were getting along.

Papyrus was happy, in fact he looked relieve at the shift in characters and to celebrate he threw out the option of eating out.

His brother jumped at the idea, Em found herself willing to go too; not that she didn't enjoy eating spaghetti but after eating the pasta three times a day for six days it was enough to make her nauseous just smelling it.

Naturally Sans threw out any argument about where they would eat, instead choose to make it a surprise. The human choose not to argue just slipped on her newly washed clothes of tattered jeans, a faded blue shirt, jacket, hat, the usual. Except for the fact that her shirt now had a large tear through it, the stitches played peeka-boo through the opening. Mentally Em made a not to sew up the rip later.

For now it was diner time!

"I KNEW YOU WOULD GROW TO LIKE HER BROTHER." Pap grinned at the two adults who sat across the table mid conversation about whether or not to dip fries in ketchup or smother them.

"Eh shut up, she's just annoying." Sans huffed crossing his arms and leaned on the back of the chair, nibbling on the end of a ketchup coated fry.

"Could say the same about you bub." Em shot back sticking out her tongue before taking another large bite of her burger.

Mm.

The girl couldn't help but inwardly groan at the flavors in her mouth, the spices that shocked her tongue only to be soothed by smooth cheese and well bacon was always a great addition to anything.

Grillby's had her approval.

"Heh. Do you need us to give you some alone time?" Sans smirked nodding towards the burger.

"Jealous?"

"Nah I feel sorry for it."

Rolling her eyes the girls focused her attention back on the lovely in front of her, actually taking time to enjoy the flavor rather than just bite and swallow. Who needs company when she had food, the girl could enjoy this all by herself without the side comments.

Paps and Sans conversation was white noise to her ears.

Man she wished she could cook like this, maybe she'd have a job in a kitchen if she did.

Pffftt.

The noise had Em pause looking up over her burger, the features on her face slackening in disbelief.

A ketchup bottle was held up in the air hovering over Sans open mouth as the red condiment was squirted in.

"Are….are you drinking ketchup?"

Blinking the skeleton tilted his head back down to look over the girls gapped mouth, smirking the monster held out the bottle, "Want some?"

The girl backpedaled, her back running into her chair and shook her head with wide silver eyes, "How can you drink that? That's disgusting!"

"No the human waste disposal process is disgusting. Ketchup is delicious." Sans argued pointing the nose of the bottle in her direction before taking another long drink from it.

Em watched with a twisted grimace at the sigh of the thick liquid pouring down her throat, the thought made her throat want to gag. Of all people she wasn't a picky eater but straight downing ketchup would be like downing a shot for the first time. There was no way in hell she'd ever just drink a condiment and this is coming from the girl who drinks curdled milk on a basis.

"BROTHER YOUR TERRIBLE HABITS ARE HORRIFYING EM!"

"She can get over it."

"CAN'T YOU MIND YOUR MANNERS SANS?"

"Why? It's just ketchup-"

Em only watched with crinkled brows as the two brothers fought, and for the first time found herself curious as to who the older one was. Out of both of them Papyrus was always of the best manners, but gave his brother the utmost respect and deemed him the ultimate decision maker of their relationship.

"Enjoying your food?"

Tearing her gaze away from the siblings Em found herself sending a smile to the owner of the dinner and bar, the monster was of average human height for male and in fact looked quite like one in shape if it wasn't for the fact that he was made of fire.

"It's great thanks!" Em nodded taking another bite of her burger, sad to see that it was two bites from being gone.

The owner's fire er..face crackled with delight the flames sparking in different directions, "Glad to hear it. Are you a friend of the boys?"

"Something like that, they kind of saved my life and Paps here won't let me leave until I'm fully healed."

"That defiantly sounds like Papyrus. I'm Grillby." The owner held out a hand and Em hesitated for a moment staring down at the crackling fingers for a second, "I won't burn you I promise."

Trusting him the human grasped his hand for a gentle shake; Grillby however turned her hand over and raised it towards his face. Her skin was licked warm in a soft fire, oh. The girls burned pink at the gesture, "They call me Em." She replied as the monster lowered her hand from his lips.

"Nickname?"

The woman giggled, her teeth flashed a wide grin at the found memory of the name. That cute little Temmie, "Something like that."

"'Ey Grillby." Sans called, pausing the boys current argument.

"DO NOT DROP THE SUBJECT BROTHER!"

Waving off the gentle giant Sans held up the ketchup bottle with a wicked grin, "Got anymore special juice?"

"It'll cost you."

"Can't you put it on my tab?"

Grillby paused, and Em could have sworn she saw a glare behind those rectangle glasses of his, "You mean the one you still haven't paid off from when we were underground?"

"Come on Grills," Sans let out a whine, "you know I'm good for it."

The human watched the light interaction, especially as Grillby shook his head but turned on his heel to stalk towards the kitchen much to Sans own grin as he downed the last of the ketchup with a gulp. Missing his mouth by half a mile and the red liquid splattered onto the table below.

It was like he was drunk or something.

"He seems nice." Em commonly states, head perched on arm that lay supported on the table. The effect of the warm food already beginning to take place, mmm. Not to mention the sweltering atmosphere that traveled throughout bar, probably because the owner was literally the hottest guy in the room. Heh. Em could appreciate a good-looking guy, made of fire or not.

"Bit of a hot head if you ask me."

Sans comment had the girl pause looking up with a raised eyebrow as the sentence repeated through her head again, a goofy grin spread on the skeletons lips when he saw her brain working.

"Was that a pun?" Em asked trying to clarify the sentence, that can't be right. Sure Sans cracked jokes, usually at her expense, but puns seemed a bit…low for him.

"What? Don't like it? I'm just getting fired up."

Pfft.

The girl let out a light laugh, all right Sans was defiantly drunk. What 'special juice' did Grills put in that?

Papryus usual cheerful grin turned completely upside down, a scowl large enough to put his smile to shame, "SANS!"

"Aw don't get all hot and bothered bro." The words tumbled from his lips as he sent a cheeky wink over towards the poor, red-faced Paps.

"DO NOT DRAG ME INTO YOUR TERRIBLE HUMOR!" Well if Papyrus wasn't embarrassed before he was now.

"Tibia honest I thought it was humerous." Em threw out, loving the look of Paps jaw hitting the table when he found himself alone in the effort to end puns.

"EM!" Paps gasped as if some ashamed mother that found her child stealing a candy bar, "PLEASE DO NOT ENCOURAGE-"

"Come Papyrus, follow Grills lead and just lighten up." San cut off before the poor giant could even finish his sentence.

"THAT'S IT!" Papyrus slammed his hands down on the tumble, the plates clattered in place at the sudden outburst, "I AM LEAVING, I WILL SEE YOU TWO AT HOME AND DO NOT DARE COME BACK UNTIL THIS DISASTER HAS PASSED!" He hollered waving a hand between the two of them before thundering out the door in a fit of a petty rage.

Em watched with a restrained smile until the door flew close and her laughs erupted into the air, who knew teasing Paps could be so fun? The guy hardly gets upset about anything! And of all things puns, puns were his weakness.

"Just so you know," The human looked up to find Sans staring her over with a shallow smile, "the bone puns are over used."

Rolling those dull eyes of hers Em took shoved the last bit of her burger in, mumbling like chipmunk, "Pretty sure those fire ones were pretty bad too."

"Obviously you can't appreciate good humor when you hear it."

The air turned warm, Grillby had swung back into the room and slammed down a fresh bottle of ketchup, "Here."

"Thanks Grills." Sans smiled widely holding up the ketchup in a mock cheers.

"Just don't pass out this time."

Waving a hand the skeleton raised the bottle to his lips…er…teeth and started a guzzling chug.

Without Paps here the conversations were dull and short lived, even when Em tried to blatantly start a bickerment for her own amusement Sans returned to his drink with a shake of the head mumbling something under his breath that was probably some hate crime towards humanity.

Em eventually resorted to amusing herself with the oak tables grain, her finger following the swirls in it's chipped and batter wood, "Can we go home yet?"

"Don't tell me you're a scaredy cat that can't walk in the dark." Sans laughed, until his white eyes met the cold hard glare and the ketchup sliding down his throat caught, effectively chocking the monster.

"F-forgot…s-s-orry!" He managed to cough out leaning over to catch his breath.

Em choose not to reply but gave a hard glare to the floor, idiot. It was his idea for her not to go out alone after what happened earlier today and here he was condemning her. Drunken fool, the human shook her head with a sigh before standing up to stretch, much to the displeasure of her stitches that itched like crazy. But raised her arms high and enjoyed the sound of her spine popping in all the right places.

Maybe it was best just to front the brutality of night, heaven knows she'd rather not carry a stumbling monster back home.

Looking down towards Sans with the words goodbye hovering on the edge of her lips she paused, the monster was frozen in place. The usual marble sized white eyes of his where pin pricks, a yellow shade flushing his already pale cheekbones.

"You okay Sans?" Em asked, waving a hand in front of the monster.

"We…we can leave after I finish the bottle." He replied slowly leaning back in his chair and sucked down the ketchup, those pinpricks not rising from their stare on the tables grain right where Em had been drawing her finger across.

"But you didn't answer-"

"Em." A soft-spoken voice called from the counter, looking over to see Grill lazily wiping up some dusty glass cups, "Want to help me put stuff away?"

"Uh, sure I guess. Not like I have anything better to do." And moseyed herself over with a shrug, sliding over the bar with easy.

Grill rose a brow at the motion and watched with a tilted head as the girl grabbed a nearby empty bottle, her other had reached blindly for the corkscrew before slashing it through the label.

The bartender nearly laughed as she hummed to herself, swinging about to collect all of the empty bottles around the store and perform the same task.

Her hands were littered in bottles before she quietly plopped them in the trashcan on Grills side of the bar and started tying up the bag.

"So," The fire monster asked, readjusting his glasses, "How long were you a bartender?"

"About six months, fired me for drinking the merchandise."

"Really?"

"That's what the owner said, she just didn't like that I earned more tips then her."

Soft fire crackled, spurting out in fits that pricked Em's ears and made her smile when she realized what it was, Grillby was laughing. A single fire hand rose to cover the area where Em assumed his mouth was out.

"That's rich."

"Well I defiantly wasn't."

A louder crackle flew through the air, Grillby leaned over holding up his glasses as a hearty chuckle raked through his fire frame that flickered and sent shadows dancing across the room that grew sweltering hot at the outburst.

Hehehe.

Appeased by the reaction Em went around collecting dishes and throwing them in the wash as the bartender collected himself, the kitchen was impressive for its size. Small but well kept and orderly, inside a monster turned to look at her. Three eyes blinking in unison, his horned head tilted in curiosity. His striped body adorned in a tall white hat and apron.

"Hey I was just dropping these off."

"Yo, just put 'em in the sink 'ight?"

"Cool. You the cook?"

"'Ave been for the past ten years. What's yer name kid?"

"People call me Em."

"M eh? Short name, people call me Slinky."

"Why Slinky?"

"Come 'ack again and I'll show ya."

Em nodded with a light promise before turning back round towards the eating area, where Grill looked up from his wine stash and curiously held a bottle out towards her, "Can you flip?" He asked.

Her smile turned wide, peaking up higher at one end as she laid a hand on the bottles nozzle before giving it a few good twirls through the air, over her should, under her leg and caught behind her back before flipping it in the air to hold out the slim neck towards the fire monster who nodded in approval.

"Do you have a job Em?"

"Not currently."

"Would you like one?"

"Oh yes."

"Great, you start tomorrow. Bar opens at six, be here at four. Oh and good luck getting Sans back to the house."

What?

Em spun on her heels to find the skeleton conked out against the wall, ketchup bottle still stuck in his mouth. A groan broke through her lips as the woman shot unprofessional curses about tomatoes toward the roof.


	7. Chapter 7: Taboo

ine Alphys I promise." Em chuckled lightly, fingers crinkling the shirt that lay bundled around her ribcage.

The dinosaur scientist stood readjusting her glasses as she ran a hand over the stitches. Alphys arrival had been a bit of a surprise; even Paps seem quite shocked that the introvert had left her home of her own accord.

"I-I just wa-wanted t-t-to ma-make su-sure it would-dn't sc-scar over." She admitted, wringing her claws against her wrist.

Em sent a small smile, looking up with silver eyes that glistened with a weak brightness. Someone cared, someone who doesn't have any reason to beyond there own truly cares for her.

"I…thank you Alphys." The young human whispered, flopping her head back down on the hospital bed, finding the texture white ceiling suddenly very fun.

Sans had begrudgingly allowed them into the miniature lab that lay in the basement so that Alphys could look over the girl's wounds appropriately. They could stay down her so long as Em or Alphys didn't work up the nerve to ask questions about the weird blueprints and half mixed chemicals.

How the hell had he not blown himself up yet?

There's no way he was that smart, like Alphys smart.

"F-for wh-what?"

"For everything." Em finalized, silver eyes stared at the ceiling as faces flashed in front her eyes. The ever grinning face of Papyrus the first monster to show her mercy, Alphys the one to save her life and Sans he..well….

The jittery monster jumped when Em suddenly sat straight up kicking her legs off the side to swing them back and forth, a question playing at the edge of her lips.

"Alphys…do you…what do you think of us? Humans that is?"

"W-what?"

"I was curious is all." Em would say she doesn't have to answer but well if Em answered her questions than Alphys can give her some as well.

"I-I, w-well….I li-like th-them. No-t al-ll of the-m co-urse but y-you-are nice and Frisk is n-n-ice, some are r-r-r-ea-eally mean but hey so-ome monsters are b-a-ad too."

The name had Em freeze; she hadn't heard that nickname in years. A light smile twitched at the edge of her lips, fingers fidgeting between each other as she watched them, it was nice to hear he kept the nickname.

"Frisk." His name repeated from her lips, it almost felt comforting in some way to be able to breath it in the air.

"Y-yes, th-that's h-his nam-e. T-the o-ne who sa-ved us."

The kid did good, she was glad to hear that he made something of himself. It seems he's easily surpassed her in life and that….that was wonderful. Maybe one day she'll have an opportunity to do something great too.

"Wh-why di-did you a-ask?"

Hm?

Silver orbs flickered up to look over the nervous, lip biting, bucktooth scientist in front of her. It was almost cute the way her tail tucked around to lay across her feet that hid beneath the long lab coat she wore.

Em shrugged lightly trying to play off her own nerves, "It's about…I was just wondering if all monsters hate humans as much as Sans does."

"O-oh well he-he's a b-it un-ique i-is al-all."

"Unique?"

Most people on the surface would argue that everyone was unique in their won special way and that's why we had such a wonderful mixed up world but the way Alphys said the word made Sans sound….estranged.

"Ye-es," Alphys hesitated, beady eyes glued to floor as she seem to debt whether or not continuing, "San-s…use t-to be ap-art of th-the-"

Both girls nearly jumped ten feet as the lab door swung open, the handle smacking into the wall and as the heavy entrance swung back Em could see a large, cracking dent that left it.

"Woops."

Ice ran it's gnarly finger down her spine and judging by Alphys frozen posture she had felt it too.

A single boney hand pushed the door opening more a carefully, a sly grim smile plastered on a cracked skulls face, "Sorry didn't mean ta scare you." Sans apologized, crossing his arms to lean against the door frame, "Thought I'd pop by to tell you Paps finished making lunch, won't let us eat until everyone's up there. Looks like your wound is healing up nicely." He sent a nod in the direction of the young human whose eyes went wide and hands roughly pulled down the overly large shirt, cheeks beet red as she glanced away like some scorned puppy.

"Alright we'll be down in a second." The human replied, still not meeting his gaze.

"Mkay." Sans blinked, frame still glued to the spot.

"You're not going to move are you?"

The skeleton smirked lightly, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "Nope."

"Not even if I needed to get undressed?"

It was a pathetic excuse, but it was one that might scare him away.

"I like a show."

Course he would say something like that.

"You're an ass."

Why is it always the insult that got him moving, Sans pushed himself away from the door frame coming up close enough to place his arms on ether side of the injured figure and despite being the taller one in the situation as she was on the bed Em felt miniscule compared to the monster that hovered before her with a crooked sort of grin.

"The very one that saved your life and don't forget it buttercup." His voice was low, the gravely thicker and hinged with anger.

Over her own fear Em didn't catch the glare tossed towards Alphys, only that she knew the dinosaur had speed out of the room in a leap and that Sans was the reason for it.

"Papyrus saved my life too, don't forget that." She hated how meek her voice sounded, how utterly powerless she felt against someone she knew could sling her into a wall like a ragdoll.

Was this the fear that drove humans to lock away monsters to begin with?

"Yeah, I don't forget those kind of things." Sans began leaning forward, those pinpricks digging into her own eyes and captured them in their white fury, "He could have died that day, protecting a human. How'd you think that'd feel coming home to place where home no longer exists? But you would understand wouldn't you? After all wars a killer."

Em's spine went rigid, "How do you know about that?"

"You said it yourself remember? The monster war was a prelude from the one you lived through."

"Go to hell." Her words came as a growl that leaked from clenched teeth.

Sans let out a snort, unimpressed by the petty jab, "Been there done that darling and let me tell you, it was a dream compared to what I've dealt with so I suggest you keep your nose out of my business unless you want to wind up there."

"Threaten me all you like Sans," The human began, sitting herself up taller to look down her nose at him, "I'm not afraid of you."

Those words brought her back, back to the dream…the nightmare she had had days ago on this very bed when life and death coexisted

Em had never seen Sans grin so widely at her comment, that wicked smile half a snarl across his mouth, "Oh really?"

It sounded as a challenge, with the light little scoff he gave.

"I've seen what you can do," She shot back with a stoic raised eyebrow, "what more do I have to fear?"

The odd sensation of bones tapping against her thigh broke the girls attention, head tilting to find the distraction with a snarl.

Something smooth tucked back a piece of her ear, that gravel voice laced in amusement as a cold breath tickled the cartilage, "You haven't seen anything yet darling."

Em ripped away from the whisper, ignoring the glint in Sans and the chuckle he let out while pulling away.

He was always doing this, leaving out clues and open-ended question that have no answers. It was tiring to jump around and grasp at the straws he held just out of reach. It frightened her, not knowing, not knowing meant stumbling into the wrong part of town and being beat to death. Not knowing meant being tortured for information one wished they had to give. Not knowing meant loosing someone when she could have saved them. Not knowing meant pain.

"Lets…" The human stated, trailing slightly and decided it best to test her luck. If the monster had wanted her dead, she would be, "Lets play a game."

"What?"

Her suggestion genuinely caught him off guard, white bulbs narrowed and the skeleton bones locked in place.

"Twenty Questions, you ask me and I ask you we both respond truthfully."

"How's about no."

"We both have questions, we both have answers and lets face it neither of us have very good resources to go off of. No one is brave enough to talk about you and you can't find someone out there who knows about me, not accurately anyways." Em argued, bending down to eye level with the annoying prick of a being, "Humans are funny in that way, we have a tendency to see people the way we want to and not the way they are."

Light flickered through those eye sockets, little white pricks moving around a in a leisurely mold and Em could see the monsters brain ticking.

"Five questions and I start."

The sudden compliance through her off, and the cheesy smirk didn't help Em feel any more comfortable about agreeing even if it was her idea. She would like to say she trusted Sans, but he was Sans the skeleton after all.

"Fine."

The cave in made her skin crawl, Sans peculiar smirk even wider than before. Bone figures tapping once more along her thigh in a train of thought, it made Em's eyes twitch.

"How old were you when you lost your family?"

"The first one? Ten. The second one I was fourteen." Em rushed through the answer trying not to focus on the content, even after all this time it still hurt. "My turn, how were you born?"

"I was made in a lab." Sans own speech pattern followed her own.

A lab? Monster can create each other…but didn't they have...inwardly shaking her head the girl decided not to get caught up in how that worked.

"Who was the second family?" The gravel voice piped up, white little pricks searching through those silver orbs.

"An elderly couple, couldn't fight in the war." Words a mumble from her breath, "They had a a young grandson, they took me in and died shortly after. Who made you?"

"Someone who cared for me."

Don't give her that crap, silver orbs narrowed at the obvious aversion.

"-I'm not avoiding the question! The memories are…foggy alright, what war was this the one you mentioned?"

Em let out a sigh, running a sweaty hand through her ponytail. It was rather odd to repeat a history she lived through, "A civil war, the marks of it are all over the city. It was…it was a rebellion against the government."

That's all she could say about it, like Sans said something things memories were just foggy and should stay like that. She'd hate to dig up the things she spent years burying.

"Why do you have cracks on your skull and," Her silver eyes flashed to the palm sitting next to her thigh, "And holes in your hands?"

"Why do you have mousy brown hair and dumb looking grey eyes, it's just how I look." Sans replied with a casual shrug, "Why did you leap in for Papyrus?"

"Wh-what?"

"Dpn't act stupid, I know you jumped in to protect him. The dork wouldn't stop blubbering about it when you were out."

"I-I just…it felt wrong to sit there and watch the person who saved me die. There's not a lot of good people in this world, especially humans. To watch one murdered in such a crude way…" She shook her head," Some people are just worth saving. Why…why do you hate humans?" Em couldn't stop the light quiver in her voice, mental screaming at herself for such a sign of fear and after she made a show about not being scared of the five foot six monster.

But as she watched his jaw click into place, each been lightly popping as it tensed with a slow yellow simmer in his eye that suffocated the air in a static thick enough that a blade couldn't cut through it.

And she was under the scrutiny of it all.

Em couldn't help but be afraid.


	8. Chapter 8:A Different Direction

It seemed Sans wouldn't answer, five minutes and he hadn't moved he hadn't even breathed.

And all Em could was watch with an unsettled apprehension, silver eyes glancing over the tight lipped monster as if he were some predator poised to pounce out of defense when she stumbled upon his territory.

She could hardly hold back the slight flinch she gave when he's jaw unhinged and the words molded out into the air with a dead weight.

"In the underground, things work differently. Sometimes the people who fall aren't the good kind of humans and they kill, they kill everyone only to get to the end and…let's just say the world reverts, it...starts over." Sans jaw clicked and for a moment it seemed he meant to leave the words hanging in the air, "The other monsters…they don't remember the previous events, but I do. I watch them murder my friends, my family again and again. Isn't that reason enough?" The last words were a whisper directed more to the floor than to her.

Sure school taught about the Underground and it was often enough the center of gossip, curious humans always questioning about the lifestyle, nature, anything they could to grasp a better concepts of what this legend was.

Em never imagined it was so…cruel.

"I'm sorry," The apology a whisper, "I know what it's like to watch loved ones die. I can't ever make up for what those people did to you but I-I am sorry.'

"Tch." Silver eyes flashed up to look at the monster who clicked his tongue, arms folded and a yellow tinge brushed across his cheekbones, "Geez kid I didn't expect sympathy from you."

Em's eyes rolled before rubbing the back of her neck at the blatant truth of his statement.

Heh.

Was she really that terrible to him?

What ever it's not like he was any better.

"Oh." Em blinked looking towards the skeleton who cocked his head at the noise, "You um have one more question, anymore?"

Those yellow cheekbones burned brighter, feet shuffling lightly against the tile and Sans eyes flickered do to stare the frayed ends of his boots shoelaces.

Suddenly bashful huh?

"Yeah this ones a bit weird though."

"Shoot." Em called, leaning back to hold herself up by her hands.

"I've never really felt…human skin or hair before…I was just uh wondering if I could-"

Em couldn't keep the heavy smile that grew along her features, a chuckle vibrating her lungs and grew louder when Sans eyes turned wide his entire skull the surface of the sun, "Not that you have to agree to-"

"Sure."

"Really?"

The human waved a light hand, unphased by the question. It only made sense, Paps had asked the same question before, the most he had done was make Em's cheeks sore from all the tugging. It was like she had been stuck at a nursing home for thirty minute talking to all the pinching grandmothers.

"Your just curious right? It's no big deal. Paps' already asked about it."

Course this didn't mean she exactly trusted Sans but after the incident in the alley…well it was kind of hard not to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Maybe he was so gun-ho on human destruction after all.

Sans eyes glances over Em for a second holding the same hesitancy that the human herself felt before he raised a hand to pull on her cheek, interested in the way the skin pulled and snapped back into place. Nearly jumping when he saw the spot turn red at the constant tugging and Em let out a laugh.

Why was the cheek the first thing they always went too?

"Did I hurt you?"

"No no it just Paps did the same thing."

"O-oh." Sans commented, white eyes moving to focus on her mess of brown hair that sat in a ponytail, cautiously he brought a hand up to slid the band off and watch with widening eyes as the long locks cascaded around her shoulders. Quietly the skeleton reached out to brush the ends, before taking a single hand and kneaded it through her hair.

Ah.

Em smiled slightly having forgotten just how great it felt to have someone play with her hair, and naturally leaned into the touch.

Interested by the reaction Sans brought his other hand up too, brushing through the long strands, "Does that really feel good?"

"Mmhmm. Most humans really love to have their hair played with."

"Maybe Paps was right, you guys really are like dogs."

"Thanks?"

She liked to think that was a compliment, dogs were after all loveable creatures.

Benefit of the doubt, she could do it.

Snorting lightly Sans hand traveled down to her lips, pressing lightly against the chapped muscles. Em's cheeks burned, shoulders tensed at the sudden attention to the malleable appendages.

The monster hardly seemed to notice far too fascinated with the outer layer of humans to see the growing embarrassment along the girls face.

He seemed a bit more confident now one hand slide down the groove of her neck, probing at the softer skin.

Em's eyes winded, a bubble of laughter traveling up her throat that would have had the monster jump out of his skin if he had some.

"Wh-what?"

"It just tickles is all." The human waved up, trying to stifle the little laugh.

So she was a bit ticklish wasn't everyone?

"Really?"

"Yeah well-" When silver eyes flashed upwards to see the coy grin spreading on the skeletons face her words caught.

"S-sans." Em voice fell, hands and feet moving to perch on the edge of the bed in preparation to flee, "Don't you dare."

"Don't dare to do what?"

Like hell she'd fall for that little crappy coy tact, especially with that smug little smirk plastered across his teeth and the minute a single boot of his step forward Em had herself half way flung off the bed, body slamming still in midair as a vague yellow light outlined her body.

Damnit. Benefit of the doubt go to hell.

"Heheh. Careful or you'll pull your stitches."

All the human could do was glare as she was unceremoniously pushed back on the hospital bed thanks to the all powerful supremacy of crap magic and Sans stood leisurely by the side, hands in pants pocket a small pout growing on his lips, "Aw. It's only fun if you struggle."

"Go fuc-"

Her teeth clamped shut, clicking against the poor tongue that got caught in rude shut.

"Watch your mouth." Sans warned, yellow eye glowing a bit brighter, "Remember who your talking to here princess."

A prick?

Course she couldn't say that out loud as badly as she wanted to.

"Actually," The monster hummed, withdrawing his hands from his pockets, "I think I know just the way to remind you."

Silver orbs retreated from their glare, growing to the size of grapefruits at the hovering digits that wiggled just above the good side of her stomach.

He wouldn't dare.

Unconsciously the girls body tried to twist, tried to worm away from the lowering hand and a small squeal ripped from her throat all of which Sans shook off with a laugh, "Don't even bother try-what the hell?"

With a loud cry the yellow outline faded and the girl nearly toppled off the edge of the bed, freedom just a twist away. Sure a migraine was building in the base of her neck and all images suddenly lost appearance, a black smug of ink smeared across her vision but she would be saved from torture.

Or at least it was a nice thought, a hand slapped over her knee and Em was plucked back onto the bed with ease, wait pressed down on her hip bones. Damn, she couldn't tell who was bonier the actual skeleton or her, ether way it hurt like hell.

"Get off!" She whimpered trying vainly to push away the monster who chuckled lightly, barely swaying an inch.

"Geez and I thought I lacked muscles." The monster chuckled crossing him arms over his bare, ribcage exposed chest. Little pinpricks for eyes scrutinizing her from the bottoms of their sockets

"Don't bring anatomically correct puns into this Sans!"

"What that was totally humerous and you know it."

A glare crossed over the girls features, pausing her desperate and uneventful attempt to squirm away. How much did this idiot way? He was only made of calcium rich limbs!

"I thought you said bone puns were overrated." Em huffed, hand pushing on his exposed hips in hopes of eliciting some response but all the monster did was shrug, leather clad shoulders rising with small interest.

"I'm a skeleton, they're growing on me."

"Ugh," The human grumbled under her breath, "get off before I die."

"Sure."

What?

Grey orbs froze on the skeletons features, looking for any source of smirking lie that naturally came with the cracked skull.

Where's the if?

"On one condition."

Ah there it is.

"Don't look at me like that," Sans poked her puffed up cheek, "it's not terrible or anything. Just admit that you love my puns."

Yeah right.

Em couldn't stop the ungraceful snort that pushed out of her lungs that felt as if it had been stuck in the muscles for a century.

"And," The monster continue and to Em's own teeth grinded annoyance that smirk grey on his teeth, "say that I'm one sexy bag of bones."

"No."

She would, not under the burning gaze of a million suns admit that ridiculous lie.

"Fine with me." Sans let out a sigh, arms unfolding to tap lightly against her sides just waiting for the right moment to strike.

"No Sans please-"

Oh that's right he loved begging, and the second the little whimpered please escaped her lips each boney figure dug through the thin protection of her shirt. Skin erupting in a fit of sparked nerves that fluttered in stomach in a ruffle of odd shock; all muscles screaming at the bruising tickles and despite all protest Em bursted into a round of laughs. Torso twisting, legs kicking to squirm out from under the monster that had her pinned. A sick twisted grin on his face as he enjoyed the scene beneath him, the little wet tears that dribbled out from the eyes were especially his favorite.

"It hurts!" Em cried, trying to pull on the heartstrings that Sans didn't have.

"Say it." He cooed, drawling a hand up to her neck, "Say that you love my puns and I'll let you go."

The girls neck shriveled in it's self the way a snail would escape into itself to hide from predator, course there was no way Sans the skeleton would ever allow such an easy getaway.

Em's skin felt bruised from the prodding, her hands swatted at the digits a yell of stop echoing from her vocal cords, "Fine! Fine! Just stop!"

Her nerves calmed, still echoing with the feeling of being tickled but slowly her giggles faded and the now deprived lungs gasped for air. Sans hands lingered only inches above, a reminding threat to her if she didn't keep good on her word.

Through hot puffs, Em swallowed, "I love your puns."

"Hehhe, that's right you do and what else?" Sans asked, fingers once again dancing to lower down and the human could feel her stomach curl despite the digits not touching her.

There was no way, no way she would admit something as stupid as that. Did he really need her validation?

"No," Em stuck up her nose, "I'm not going to say it."

"Suit yourself."

And the second Sand fingers were laid on her torso, each nerve exploded in the same excruciating soreness from the prior fit.

"Alright! Alright!" Em hollered, shooing away the cursed limbs and turned her head away to mutter half into the sheets, "Sans, I think you're…."

"Sorry didn't get all that."

He was going to make her scream it to the world wasn't he?

"I think you're a sexy bag of bones!" Her cheeks were red, hot under the smirk that grew to large for what even his ego should be able to contain.

Stupid Sans.

"You bet your ass I am, so glad you can finally admit it to yourself." The skeleton chuckled and a large breath of air sucked into the depths of her lungs as pressure was released from her sides.

Sans now stood off to the side, pinpricks eyeing the rise and fall of the recovering humans chest.

A few minutes passed, silver eye glued on the ceiling, pinpricks glued on the girl. Until those once zoned out shades of grey turned to huff angrily at the monster and Em swung up from the bed, now at a hundred percent she was fully prepared to take on the world.

But apparently not a temperamental skeleton, who worked on the whim of his heart and more than enjoyed watching the little human dance to the beat of his pipe.

A hand knead through her waist long tresses and yank back, a groan erupted from the girls lip as her head was titled back to stare up at the face of a smirking Sans who couldn't help but chuckle at the reaction.

He was still a damn jerk.

"You still have one more question you know."

Em paused twisting to face the lazy skeleton, his grip loosened enough to slip out of the odd hold, "Why….why did you save me?"

Em wasn't expecting the reaction, she did anticipate some half-ass smirk tossed her way as the cocky bonehead strutted out of the room with no answer or maybe some cryptic insult that she was to weak to protect herself.

The shrug and casual smile seemed odd on Sans features that despite being made of bone were soft, "Some people are worth saving after all, " And then as quickly as it came the expression morphed into the hanging smirk, "Besides, Paps would never let me live it down if his favorite big human got hurt on my watch."

Oh so Papyrus was the reason Sans suddenly seemed pleasant, that would explain it.


	9. Chapter 9: Pinocchio

Where was she?

Thick darkness covered her body, shadowing every limb in a blanket of thick, heavy black ink and each step was taken with the faith that there would be ground to catch her.

Quietly those silver eyes looked around, begging to adjust to the dark but they never did.

Where was she?

Slowly above light filtered in, just enough that she could see the faint outline of her hands when directly in front of her face.

Turning her gaze above silver swirls moved through the sky, twisting in soft lazy streams and whispered amongst themselves.

Oh.

She was back here.

"You've come back." The voice was still here, the one that breathed of winter chill and sent those whispering silver mist into a frenzy of movement this time they scurried around above, circling in a vain attempt to hide.

Em watched the clouds with curiosity, their whispering a havoc of words, "And you're still here I see."

"I don't leave."

"Can you?"

The last time they had met, this voice had attempted to convince her that it was her subconscious, which she still reasonably doubted. Wouldn't her own thoughts sound like her? Or was this a whole Pinocchio fiasco. Maybe she would wake up with a little cricket on her shoulder that would be interesting to explain to the boys.

"…yes."

Oh so it could.

"Then why not?" Em asked, raising an unseen eyebrow.

"This place is to my satisfaction."

How cute.

"Where exactly is this place?"

"You're subconscious."

Oh.

Well this…this was strange. Silver eyes looked above towards the matching colored swirls, this defiantly wasn't what she thought her mind would look like. She especially didn't anticipate someone would be living in here.

"So you really weren't lying earlier, though I don't necessary believe that you are the my uh Jiminy Cricket."

"I never lie. I do after all reside here, that would make me a part of your conscious."

Twisted.

"No just stretch the truth right?" A thin shallow line appeared on her chapped lips as she licked them nervously; just what kind of creature could exists in a person mind anyways?

Was this some kind of disease? A disorder maybe?

Heavens hope it wasn't schizophrenia.

A light hallow laugh broke through the air, "I am of no harm to your mind but I must admit I am impressed most humans are incapable of accessing this part of their brain."

Em let out a snort, "Guess I'm just special."

"You don't dream."

Her brows wrinkled, she could feel them furrow, and wondered quietly how that sentence held relevance to their conversation.

"Is there a link?"

"That is my hypothesis," The voice began to pause and add, "I am still conducting the experiment." As if it were embarrassed to admit it.

"Oh," Em's feet scuffled growing tired of standing and slowly the girl sat down, holding her arm out to ensure the ground was still there when her butt found the hard, chilly surface, "What have you found?"

"You're childhood.." The voice began mulling a thought that made Em tense,"…it's very…sad."

"You have access to my memories?"

Well that sucked. She didn't like this idea of absent privacy.

"I have seen most of them yes, some are harder to enter than others."

"Why?" Em asked, interested on how the process of seeing them even worked.

Did they play out as a movie or was it a more spectator sort of thing?

"Mental resistance, your mind refusing to remember hurtful memories or simple human forgetfulness."

Ah. That….that made sense, if her childhood was involved. Most of those had been blocked a long time ago.

"Then you know about the war right?" Em's voice was quite as she tilted her head down, finding comfort in the pieces of hair that fell around to shelter her face.

There was no answer but she could feel the heavy yes that hung in the air.

"It sucked," She admitted with a dry laugh, knees tucking into her just and would have chuckled at how the pain from her stitches could still reach her here had she not been struggling to prevent a cry, "I'd rather forget it entirely but the images, they're stuck and appear like flashes when I sleep. I….I've learned hard to control not having dreams."

And for the first time, something different grew foggy in front of her. A white slender frame cloaked in a thick black robe of darkness with what looked their hands clasped in front of them, empty eye sockets simply stared not interest or emotion flickering about, "You are a very interesting sort of specimen."

"What?"

"Amongst humans that is," They waved lightly, the motion fluid like rushing ink, "just as that boy who saved us."

"Oh, you mean Frisk?"

It seemed almost every monster knew him, not a surprised considering he was the one who set them free.

"The child of whom you were raised with? Yes."

The truth took her aback, Em hadn't told anyone about that. Damn. So this thing really could see into her memories.

"He was…composed of very high levels of determination and you…" Eye sockets hovered over her the voice paused in midsentence, "Excuse me I have over spoken, it is time for you to wake up now."

"What?" Em jumped up, unhinged by the lack of answers and the demand that was not theirs to call.

"Wake up."

Silver eyes flashed open, meeting the light from the ceiling fan with a grunt and her arm swung over to cover the unused body part.

Damn it! It annoyed her that the thing could send her away by two simple words, it was her mind she should be the one dictating that control.

"Heh, glad to see you're awake. You're gonna be late for work."

Shooting a glare over towards the skeleton that sat at the end of the couch, lazily flipping through channels Em directed her attention to the clock nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw the time.

A string of curse words running through her lips as she tried to leap of the couch, the twist of blanket around her ankles dragging her to the floor with a large smack of flesh falling onto wood.

"Ughhh."

"Easy there tiger."

"Shut it, you could have woken me up you know!"

"Yeah but then I would have missed seeing you smacking your ass against the floor."

Chunking one of the pillows that had fallen with her Em didn't even bother to check if it hit her target instead started to get up again, only for a sharp tug at the blankets still caught on her ankles to bring her crashing down again,

The young human, threw pieces of disordered hair threw a nasty well deserved glare to the smirking skeleton that held the blanket in his hand, "Woops. Were you still attached to that?"

"Go screw yourself."

"Why would I when I have you for that? Kidding, kidding geez take a joke." Sans threw up his hands in surrender as a quick well deserved glare was sent his way.

Funny how quickly their relationship has changed. With all the innuendos Em almost missed the insults.

She didn't bother to respond to the comment, rather choose to keep her sanity and quickly the young woman dashed into Papyrus room who was kind enough to offer her a drawer to put clothes in. Sans had offered too but Em would rather not risk the skeleton walking into the room in the middle of her changing. Which the human was a hundred percent sure would be on purpose, Paps would have the decency to knock and run out with a sorry should the incident ever happen.

Pulling out her given uniform Em bit her lip at the lightly crinkled white dress shirt, hopefully Grillby wouldn't be to upset. The fire monster was rather serious about his venue, everything was to be as expected.

Course he wasn't the worst boss she's had.

Slipping on the white dress shirt, the girl hobbled around while tucking it into her sleek black pants, on her arm lay perched the vest she still had yet to slip on; silver eyes glancing around for her black dress shoes that were precariously tossed over by the door.

And after her feet slipped into them the girl darted for the front door, roughly slinging off her jacket hat combo out of habit.

"See you at seven Sans." She hollered over her shoulder, a grunt being the only response before she slammed it shut behind her.

Luckily Grillby's wasn't to far away, the only reason both boys allowed her to walk to the job each because of their own concern.

The city itself was busy, the crowd all heading home or to bars after work poured from office buildings. Some Em even recognized as common customers. Heheh, looks tonight would be a good tip night, maybe she'll finally be able to buy some new clothes. Paps t-shirts were great and all but it was about time that Em own a personal closet.

Nine days, this would be the ninth day that Em would be living with them and the stitches had already began to dissolve. It was fun hanging out with the two, joining Paps to complete puzzles after dinner, waking up to find Sans flicking through the TV and the casual bickers they got into.

Her feet slowed, the constant tapping all but half their rushing pace.

Em was scared.

Scared that once all there was only a scar to stare at if Em would be nothing more than an unwanted foster pet, sent off to find a home elsewhere.

With the wound eighty percent healed, she was fine to be on her own. Alphys would pop up soon the human could feel it in her bones but what then? Would the two kick her out?

It didn't seem like them to be so harsh, especially Paps.

'Though it's really Sans call wasn't it?' Em thought quietly.

Papyrus would concede to whatever his brother called, it was some odd respect that the taller skeleton held for the bonehead.

'And if it was up to Sans for me to stay.' The humans has wrung together.

It's not like she's been exceptionally nice to the bag of bones, they argued more often then they got along. Would he really dismiss her when the time came?

'I've..I've got to change his mind somehow.' She decided, a slow sad grin breaking along her features and those pitter-pattering feet picked up pace, 'What's happened to me? Two weeks ago and friends wouldn't have mattered, what was survival to friendship?'

 _So this is what you fear?_

Em's head rang with a splitting pain, a pain strong enough to have her stumble to a halt. Hand raising to wipe of the sudden nervous sweat the built on her brow, silver eyes glance down at the wavering sidewalk below.

What…what was that?

That voice, the one in her dream; well she though what was a dream. That place it can't truly be her subconscious, no human could will themselves inside their head.

 _That is what I said….remem-_

Another shockwave of pain had the girl tittering into the side of a building; the lights around her grew to bright. Silver orbs burned under the blistering city illuminations.

Her head, it was splitting apart!

Huffing the girl balled her fist, trying to bite back a whimper of pain and slowly her breathing went soft. The shocking pain eased away as fast as it had come.

"Mam? Mam are you alright?"

Opening her eyes again she found an elder gentleman looking her over with curious hazel eyes.

She nodded, "Ju-just have a migraine is all."

"Would you like me to call a family member?"

Em wanted to laugh at the statement that was considered so casual, sure got a problem call mom and dad right?

The best she could do was visit their graves.

"No..no I'll be okay. Thank you." The young woman muttered quietly, standing up straight in alight waver. Her body sturdier this time now more confident that the concrete floor would no longer sway when stepping.

The elder nodded collecting his dropped brief case, "Have a good day mam."

"You too sir."

Both humans turned to walk away, one in which the current events would be tossed to the side the minute a familiar building came into view with their worries swallowed by it's lovely scent and their soul feeling completely at home, the other was a gentleman that would casually mention the experience over dinner with their spouse.


	10. Chapter 10: Justice Served Well Done

_A/N: Sorry guys I didn't realize I hadn't updated in so long, won't happen again!_

Seven came around faster than Em had hoped; nervously the assistant bartender rubbed her damp white cloth over the wood. The shining oak bar reflected under the dim lighting and Em's own scrunched features were visible in the shining wood grain.

It was easy to forget the pounding migraine incident when working but with rush hour coming to a close…Em could still feel the trailing finger of pain along the base of her neck.

Warm fire crackled behind her, and heat traveled in hurry along the shoulder where a hand had place itself.

"Em? Everything fine?"

"Yeah…yeah I'm good." The human replied sending a grin towards the monster whose narrowed glasses were pushed carefully back into place.

"If you say so."

Grillby never pressed, another remarkable quality that had Em's heart patter with gratitude.

Her once half-hearted smile turned into a wider goofier grin, the fire bartender raised a brow but said no more than nod over towards an empty table that needed to be cleaned.

Right, she almost forgot she catered too.

Rushing over Em carefully plucked up the dishes and headed towards the swing in door that lead to the kitchen.

"Hey Slinky."

"Yo yo M how ya doin?" The striped monster asked, stirring a fresh pot of…whatever he was making.

The slang made Em smile, and watched for a moment as the respectively named monster Slinky's arms extended to take hold of the dishes she brought to throw the dirty wares in the washer.

When Slinky had heard about the young human being hired, the monster wrapped his four large arms around her in hug yammering something about good it was to see people keeping their word. Poor guy didn't get many visitors working as a cook.

"Got any more? Need to start a wash."

"Nope."

"'Ight. Stay out of trouble ya 'ear?"

"No promises" Em teased throwing a light smirk towards the monster, Slinky let out a hooting laughter that the human was sure could be hear dover the noise of the bar.

Bumping her backside against the door it swung open and she slid out before it closed on her.

Grillby was busy as usual nothing extra-special, not like a Friday night but if Em played her cards right she could earn a pretty good tip from some of the guys.

The best tippers included most of the dogs, mostly because Em actually takes time to pet their soft fur. More for her own luxury than theirs. Heheh she couldn't help it they were just so cute especially when greater dog thumps his leg against the wooden plank with his tongue sticking out.

"Well hello there."

Oh Em recognized the flirtatious neigh anywhere, spinning on her heels the girl sent a wide grin to the horse mermaid monster, "Aaron."

"You're looking good today Em."

"You're looking rather good yourself." The young human swung around the bar to lean over with a cute little grin flickered across her lips, "What can I get you?"

"Are you on the menu?"

The pick up line made Em want to cringe, weak.

"No but I'm sure I can get you something strong, to match those muscles of yours." Em threw in with a wink, turning back to grab a bottle of half-used vodka. A fresh shot glass plucked form it's safe spot on the counter and she set it in front of him with lidded silver eyes.

The clear liquid poured smoothly into the small glass, and Em chose to ignore the rather pained face that Aaron face. Everyone knew the monster couldn't hold his liquor, his body rejected it the way a fish rejects air.

But the monster ego would hardly allow him to just give in easily.

And so Em watched with a half amused grin as Aaron's finger trailed along the rim, a question of whether or not he should indulge himself flickering in his eyes.

The horse eyes grew wide for a second when he saw the female bartender watching and sent a wink her way before throwing his head back to swallow the drink. A half-whimpered neigh traveling out his snout and his body shook.

"Easy there." Em giggled lightly, "Do you want me to get you something else?"

"Course not, after all you picked that one out for me right? Wouldn't want to disappoint such a cutie."

Cue the exaggerated wink and flexing muscles, oh this was going to be a long night.

On the seventh refill, Aaron's flirting had gotten as good as Sans language but it was fun to listen to the lowly gossip he gave. Going on and on about some of the monsters hooking up, his personal favorite health shake which consisted of hay, nuts and fish oil. Some random stuttering when Em drew a little to close to steady him from falling out of his seat at one point. And his favorite activity flexing, none of the other drunken girls complained in fact they kept on encouraging him to take more rounds.

Em was busy serving up drinks that Aaron insisted on paying for.

It was great

Grillby just watched a half amused crackle of his fire serving the quitter batches of customers while Em sat back stirring up trouble with a few unimpressive spins of a bottle. By nine most of the monsters had staggered off, one girl throwing in a large tip because Em had successfully gotten her Aaron's number and by the end of the night those little tens built a castle in her pocket.

The muscle monster had passed out over by the bar, snoring away into the hours of the night. He'd wake up eventually, Em would give him about thirty more minutes until Grillby felt the need to kick him out. Sleeping customers never looked good on him.

And sure enough just as Em finished putting or throwing away bottles, the fire monster sent a nod in the direction of Aaron, "You forgot one."

Chuckling lightly the young human walked over shaking the horse up lightly and helped him stumble to his feet.

"Wooh. Hello good looking, come here often?" The horse neighed leaning closer with a lopsided smile.

"It's Em, Aaron."

"Oh hey! What are you doin here? Shouldn't you be home getting some beauty rest? Not that you need it." He threw in with a wink.

Laughing for his own entertainment Em held him up by his bicep and helped the monster squirm over towards the exit.

"Thanks for the drink babe." Aaron, twisted around when they stopped by the door and threw a wink towards the ceiling rather than her, "This is for you. Left my number in it." He smiled, holding out a crumpled wade of dollar bills.

"See you Friday Aaron."

"Oh yeah." The horse merman threw a large, drunken grin her way and liquor poured of his breath like garlic as he stumbled out the door she held open for him.

The cold night felt good as a soft breeze blew in, and the doors bell twinkled when it closed.

Humming to herself Em smoothed out the dollars bills, fingers counting and recounting the fifty dollar tip with a smug grin.

That makes three hundred and twenty tonight; pretty good for a normal day.

Looks like tomorrow's going to be a shopping day.

Grillby's was pretty empty by now, the regulars had left to go and sleep off the consumed liquor by now only the alcoholics were left hanging about until Grillby was forced to run them off. Course they always came back like wolves to the smell of blood.

Sliding behind the bar to start a clean up, Em found herself pleasantly surprised that Aaron had left a shot completely filled.

Well well well.

Wouldn't want this to go to waste, turning away from the entrance the young woman raised the glass to her lips; eager to feel the familiar burning in the back of the throat that itched and warmed her to the toes. She really shouldn't, she really really shouldn't. But one drink wouldn't hurt right? Alcohol was a greedy mistress that despite Em's best intentions could never be satisfied in no matter how bad she wanted to give up the damn addiction.

Her muscles clenched, contracting to hold in place.

What the he-

"Excuse me?"

The voice had Em's face drop, silver eyes wide. She knew that gravely, cocky tone.

Glaring out the corner of her eyes, the ever smirking skeleton leaned over the bar glancing between her and clear liquid cup in hand.

"Aren't you underage?"

"Screw…off." Em muttered through her clasped teeth.

Teeth that she herself were not trying to grind, Sans single yellow eye bursted brightly and a squeal fled from the girls lips as she found herself spun around, holding out the drink towards the monster.

"So you're the shot girl round her now hm?" Even amongst the alchohol rich air, Em could smell the wave of 'special juice' on him.

Great he was buzzed; at least he wouldn't make any stupid puns those were reserved for drunk status.

"No."

"Sure about that? That's not what I saw with Aaron and his friends."

"They tip well."

"All for the money huh? Hmp. Alright," Sans grinned plopping down backwards on the stool, and slid down to rest his head on the oak wood.

Silver eyes glared down into the yellow orb, "What are you doing?"

"What it look like, I'm waiting from my shot." Sans smirked, head cocking slightly as his gaze traveled from her eyes to the slightly unbutton shirt she wore.

The tightness felt constricting her throat and had throughout the night loosened the top two clear buttons, the view wasn't indecent in fact she held a more casual look that invited the more nervous customers to loosen up around her.

But this-

"Sans!" The name hissed her lips as a single boney hand rose up to undo the third one and pop the collar, at which the angle her torso bent at gave a clear view down her shirt.

Folding his arms under his head to settle himself at a better angle, "That's the ticket, like the lace by the way it suits you."

"Sh-shut up!"

"Heh." The skeleton smirked, raising a hand out from under his head to motion a finger forward Em grunted as her stomach lurched tighter against the counter and waist bent over further, hand with the shot lowering to hover right over Sans stupid smirk, "Bottoms up." Closing his fist, Em's hand wavered in restraint.

The human couldn't tell why her face was red any longer out of anger or embarrassment; maybe it was both mixed into one hot fury. Whatever it was made Em grunt as she tried to stop herself, it was just one stupid shot! Did he need to make everything so damn difficult?

"This really isn't worth you're effort Sans."

"It really is kid, it really is." He mumbled, opening his mouth and despite her best struggle the liquid trickled into his mouth, disappearing in the black gapping hole.

And once the last little drop plucked down to the skeletons gut, Em's body went free and with a gasp she back away, holding onto the wrist that had been molested by whatever yellow magic crap Sans could do.

The poor four chambered muscle in her chest hammered against it's boney cage, frightened by the entire ordeal that he body hadn't been her own. Every movement felt against her will, and no matter how desperate she had tried the limbs did nothing but bend to Sans desires.

That was terrifying; it was more startling then the migraine by tenfold.

Magic induced motions by a flick of the wrist versus a single voice that could command her entire head.

But which scared her more?

Em wasn't sure she could answer that.

"Why…why did you do that?"

All the skeleton monster did was shrug lightly, the yellow light had still yet fade from his eye and sent odd shadows along his skull. The bones sharpened and gaunt from the sunken strange lighting, he looked almost primal, "Crime fit the punishment." He answered with a casual shrug that didn't match the features on his face.

What?

The human's usually withering gaze was stricken in fear, the silver orbs were shattered with dark streaks that flickered as the orbs moved about to watch the monster in front of her the way a child might at a stranger.

A door tapped shut, Em looked over to find Grillby and Slinky making their way to the door.

"Were done locking up you two, go home." Her boss commanded, impatiently waiting with key in hand to usher the children out.

Being the last creatures to leave for the night was not an unusual concept, and soon found their footsteps echoing across empty streets of the city. Silver orbs found little interest in the glowing buildings that surrounded them, instead choose to focus on the white circle that hovered directly over head. If she squinted just enough, Em could see the faint outline of stars past the pollution.

The big dipper, a faint outline in the sky.

Ant bites trailed along her spine, Em's eyes flashed to look over at Sans. The monsters hands hadn't moved from the black pants pockets, and those white bulbs still lazily followed his shoes.

Hmp.

Guess she still felt unnerved about what almost happened this morning, the feeling would pass it always did. Still her head tilted back up towards the sky, it was weird how loose her survival wires were. They were after all the indications that kept her alive.

Papyrus was still up, mumbling about his bedtime story when they got home. There the two spilt heading down the hallway in which the brother turned towards his younger siblings room and Em towards the bathroom eager for a hot bath.

"Oh Em."

The two-sentence word called her to a halt, spinning on her heel to face the cracked skull figure that leaned lazily against Paps doorframe, enough room between the two that a child might be capable of slipping through.

Carefully folded bills withdrew from Sans pocket, holding the small wad with a boney middle and index finger as a wide grin lit the weary look across his face.

Em's face was furrowed, confused at the gesture the skeleton took that is until cold ossein matter brushed below her collarbone and warm bills found themselves slipped in the fold of her lace bra.

"Here's your tip by the way."

The human would love to say she knocked the smirkish grin right off the idiots face but she couldn't. Her fist tightened all right, nails puncturing into her calloused palms but the only outward reaction was the red ear dyeing blush as Sans sent a wink closing the door with a soft click.

A tight knot was tied, unloosened and retied in her stomach for what felt like minutes, an uncomfortable tingle of nerves settled from where his digits had brushed across the skin.

What was with him tonight, he wasn't drunk Em had had her tough ends with drunk men before maybe he was just buzzed or something.

Whatever it was the monster sure had some brain damage if he thinks he can get away with flipping his damn attitude like a quarter.

One moment he was a jerk, mouthing off insults, the next whipping up innuendos.

Now he was going as far as to molest her, Em's cheeks burned and the girl smother her reaction with a poor pillow.

"Stupid drunk idiot why'd you have to go and make things difficult." The human muttered under her breath fighting off the light stomach flutters at the memory of his sly little grin and the fresh wrinkled dollar bills that had been ripped out off her bra to be slammed on the coffee table.

And all night her mind was a stumble of thoughts that kept her twisting on the couch, most of these neurological images included various ways in which she would gladly kill him the next morning. The others, the woman smiled into her pillow, well she would never dare mention those.


	11. Chapter 11: Puzzles to Prada

Thursday's were always a bit boring for Em.

Well that hadn't always been…actually it wasn't until two weeks ago that she had the option of using that word.

Boring….

Her lips pinched together, feet swinging through the air as the young woman lay across the wooden floor; stomach warming the chilly ground beneath her, a single puzzle piece dangling between her digits.

Somewhere in the small dinning room, the chemistry clock clicked nine times.

Looks like she wasn't getting this puzzle done anytime soon.

Well at least she finished the fort, turning a silver gaze up Em could only smile at her handy work. The blankets she had chosen didn't even sink in at the center. Heheh thank goodness the couch and chair are so close together.

Sans would probably call her a child for building a little blanket fort but Em didn't care the bright sheets above her put a smile on her lips and that's all that mattered.

Pots and pans clacked against each other in an assemble of a catastrophe, Paps insisted on cleaning since Em took the time to cook that night wanting to test her unused skill.

The skeleton nearly threw a fit when Em argued he couldn't help, but chippered up a bit when she said it was a surprise.

Which indeed was a good word to use for the food.

It had turned out edible; the taste itself was fine but a bit bland. The presentation of the chicken alfredo though was uh…something to make Grillby wither away at.

The poor dish had been slopped together on a plate in a giant slop of mixed noodles, sauce and chicken like a school lunch tray.

Gosh she couldn't imagine Slinky's reaction, he'd probably hang up his hat and apron the very second he saw it.

Giggling lightly at the thought, the young silver eyed human tried in vain to squash in a puzzle piece.

Ugh.

It didn't go there either!

Em's head collided against the floor, brain groaning from exhaustion.

Why of all things did she choose to complete a puzzle on her day off?

"HUMAN?"

Huh he still hasn't gotten out of that has he?

"I HEARD A GRUNT ARE YOU IN PAIN? DO YOU REQUIRE MORE MEDICINE?"

"No I'm fine Paps. I just can't complete this dang puzzle and-"

"DID YOU SAY PUZZLE!"

Em had never seen the skeleton move so fast in her life it was like the mound of bones teleported into the room. Sat down next to her in seconds with puzzle pieces already in his red mittens.

"You like puzzles that much?"

"I FIND PUZZLES VERY ENJOYABLE! UNDERGROUND I WAS THE CREATOR OF THE BEST HUMAN CATCHING CONTRAPTIONS USED TO CONFUSION AND CONFOUND ANY BEING THAT CROSSED BY! COURSE I SUPPOSE THAT NO LONGER MATTERS."

"Want to uh help me finish this?"

"IF YOU INSIST I THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL AID YOU EM IN COMPLETING THIS PERIODIC TABLE PUZZLE OF FIVE HUNDRED PIECES. IT WILL BE NO TROUBLE FOR ME!"

And it really wasn't.

Silver eyes watched in half lidded amusement at the skeleton that managed to squash himself in the small fort, forced to lay down on his side so he didn't take up the entire room.

Em wouldn't go far enough to say the bag of bones was incapable at things, he could be quite good in everything he set his mind too; so long as he kept trying. But puzzles, Paps had half of it finished when the human had accidently conked out from the pain meds she took after dinner.

Those silver orbs flickered, Em had given up on her lame attempt to help after the fifth turn down and each breath was low short intakes with long exhales. Lungs expanding with a slow lethargic interest.

Mmm..

The single most important limb slipped, her hand falling out from under her chin.

A gasp ripped from Em's throat, eyes snapping open just in time for her chin to catch a hard smack to the floor. Well she was awake now.

Turning her neck the girl found Paps where she had left him, crisscrossed on the floor studying the puzzle with narrowed eye sockets that smiled despite the heated gaze. Ten puzzle pieces left scattered about the white and black picture.

The letters of elements she had forgotten the semester after she had completed the course glaring back at her.

"AHAH!" Paps grinned widely, hands moving widely and placed each piece in the correct place with a speed that should be impossible with oven mitts on.

A light smile trailed on the edge of the girls lip, the image in front of her was all too similar to a different time. A time she had thought she had locked away ages ago.

 _"I beat you again sis!"_

 _The image a young brunette child let out a small laugh, the noise a high-pitched squeal of delight, "Looks like you did Frisk! You sure are getting good at chess huh?"_

 _Behind the bangs two brown eyes gleamed with pride, a wide grin split across the child's lips who couldn't help but puff out his chest a little, "Course I am! You did teach me how to play."_

 _"Nay that was you all the way Frisk." The young girl praised, collecting the plastic white pieces in her palm to hold them out to her brother whose eyes lit the minute he saw them._

 _More than eager to play again._

 _"You really think so?" He breathed, taking them out one by one in a reverent gesture._

 _"I know so!" Sister gave a nod and patiently waited as Frisk mental processed the set up, trying to recollect how the checkered board was suppose to work, "You're the smartest kid in the world afterall!"_

 _"Heheh." Frisk eyes squeezed shut, a sign of how happy he really was. In a world such as this to par ones sensory poweress was dangerous even a child knew that, "Thanks sis!"_

 _"No thanks needed bud, just saying the truth." Slowly the young girl leaned back, kneading her small hands through the plush white carpet rug beneath them and watched with tender melted orbs as those chubby little fingers placed each piece down with a click, "Hey, which ones your favorite?"_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Haven't you ever thought about it? Ya gotta have a favorite piece after playing with them so long."_

 _Pinching his lisp together the young boys eyes scanned the fresh battlefield, before they twinkled with glee and plucked up a half melted horse, "The knight!"_

 _"Why's that?"_

 _"Well…" Frisk sat holding it for a moment as he traced the damaged fingers._

 _"Cause it's cool looking?"_

 _His bobbed hair flopped as he shook his noggin back and forth, a goofy grin spreading, "Heheh no!"_

 _"Why then?"_

 _"Well because the knight can take a piece when least expected that's why! If you're not paying attention to it he can swipe in and snatch it up!"_

 _"Heh." Sister cocked her head, " Doesn't that mean he can save them too?"_

 _"Wh-what?"_

 _The girl gave a light shrug, "Think about it, if something has the power to destroy that also means they have the power to save right? They can rescue a piece that's about to be taken by your opponent." Her words were nonchalant, a casual note that shouldn't belong to a ten year old talking over the metaphorical possibilities stored in cheap plastic._

 _Frisk eyes widened looking down at the piece in hand, "I never thought about it like that."_

 _"Just promise me something alright?"_

 _Looking up those brown orbs glanced over the pain glint on his sisters eyes, his silence her cue to continue._

 _"Promise me you'll remember that, always."_

 _"You're silly sis."_

 _"Frisk…please."_

 _Gulping lightly, the child's fingers curled around the piece that grew warm under his touch, a certain unidentifiable emotion welling up somewhere in the core of his chest,_ _"I promise Love, always."_

"HUMAN! WHAT IS WRONG YOU ARE LEAKING!"

Em's silver orbs blinked, eye lids flashing down and encouraged the wet drop that slid down the curve of her cheek. Coughing lightly the girl raised a hand whipping away the tear and looked down at in with a scrunched nose.

Yuck.

"I'm fine Paps, just remembered something."

"IT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY SAD FOR YOU TO CRY!"

She flinched at the foreign word, sad, what a pitiful emotion.

"Hey," Em squeaked out, looking for a change of subject as she sat up to stretch and the thick, itchy wad in her pocket gave an idea, "Would you ah..like to go shopping with me on Saturday…I know it's your day off and all but-"

Two glittering lights shone in Paps eye sockets, Em still questioned where that light came from but it was rather cute to see his face lit up like that.

"THAT WOULD BE VERY ENJOYABLE! I, PAPYRUS, AM EXCEPTIONAL AT CLOTHING STYLE."

Heheh. Right. This was coming from the monster that wore a costume as daily wear.

Em smiled holding back the chuckle that wanted to burst into life, "Awesome."

The front door flew open, dragging in the night's chilled air that lethargically moved into the room. Nearly as slow as the person who actually walked in, Sans the skeleton let out a sigh a tired droop in his eyes sockets. A familiar scent of grease, ketchup and scotch wafting from his frame.

Where had he been all day?

For the first time since living here, Em had waken up without the sound of TV going and Sans bemoaning her to move off the couch.

The skeleton didn't even bother to crack a joke just shut the door with his boot and rose an eyebrow at the blanket fort Em had made in order to comfortably build her puzzle that Paps end up completing.

Paps cocked his head at the tired life form, "BROTHER ARE YOU FEELING WELL?"

"Peachy."

Silver orbs flickered between the two skeletons, appeased to stay out of this conversation.

Besides she was still a bit groggy from those pain pills, the foggy memory of playing chess hovered on the edge of her mind and Em didn't doubt it would be one of the nights she actually dreamed.

"Um, well," Em stammered and stood up nearly taking that fort down with her to earn both boys attention, Paps looked up with a curious glint, "I'm gonna head to bed." And for a moment Paps wasn't beside her, it was Frisk smiling face with large doe eyes, "Night."

Under the influence of pain meds and hallucinations the young woman bent down to place a peck against the skeletons skull.

Her body froze only after the cold bone hit her lips.

Shooting up the girl's mouth gapped, everything around her suddenly very clear, "I-I'm sorry I use to kiss my brother goodnight like that-" An embarrassed heat grew along the girls cheeks and she found herself back up into the couch. Eyes flickered between the two frozen skeletons of the house.

Paps face lit into a grin as he jumped up in such sudden excitement the girl found herself squealing as he took her hands, "YOU HAVE A BROTHER?"

"Yes but-"

"AND IF YOU TREAT HIM SO KINDLY AS YOU HAVE JUST TREATED ME-" Two bones crushing arms wrapped around her and hefted the girl in the air as if she were made of air, "THEN YOU MUST THINK OF US AS SIBLINGS! I HAVE FINALLY OBTAINED A YOUNGER RELATIVE!"

Not wanting to burst his bubble Em let out a quiet laugh, awkwardly patting his arm, "Uhh sure Paps. Sure."

How bad would it be to be the younger sibling of Papyrus?

Em's blushed face turned to glance to the skeleton over at the door who was watching the entire scene with a stance of disinterest, hands tucked into pockets, shoulder slouched, even his boots were still on despite being home. Yet for a brief second Em thought she saw his teeth grind and a flare of yellow spark in his right eye.

What?

A squeal fled from the girls lips as gravity took over and her feet hit the wood floor with a wack, Em's once high squeal turned into a groan at the jolt that traveled up her bones.

Ow, that hurt.

"BROTHER I FINALLY HAVE THE CHANCE TO ACT AS AN OLDER SIBLING!"

Wincing lightly the girl looked over to find Paps figure swallowing Sans as the costume manic jumped on the balls of his feet.

"That's great…Paps." Sans voice was tight, a strained sound echoing from his clenched teeth.

"AND AS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS," The taller skeleton spun on his heels, pointing a single mitten in the air with a very official air about him, "WE MUST GO TO THE MALL ON SATURDAY! I WILL NOT ALLOW MY SISTER TO DRESS IN NOTHING LESS THAN THE BEST."

Tilting her head as he gestured at her, Em clicked her tongue, "These are your clothes Paps."

"YES BUT THEY ONLY SUIT I!" Paps explained strolling over to ruffle her hair, "WE MUST FIND AN ARMOR TO PERFECTLY MATCH YOU!"

Heheh. Armor? Well that was one way to say clothing she guessed.

"Wait you two are going to the mall?"

Two very different glances were tossed over towards the shorter skeleton, one filled with a glistening smile and the other paled with panic

"YES!"

"No."

A tired, smirk but still undoubtedly a Sans smirk crept onto his face at the stricken look across the humans, "Can I tag along?" His words a purr, already knowing the outcome and was fully ready to rub it in the human's face.

"No." Em's voice fell deep, a pointed glare in his direction.

How cute to think she could intimidate him.

"YES," Paps jumped at the opportunity, nearly leaping with joy, "YOU CAN GIVE ME EXCELENT ADVICE ON HOW TO BE A GREAT OLDER BROTHER! NOT THAT WOULD NEED IT AS I AM CERTAIN I PAPRYUS AM AN EXCELENT ROLE MODEL OF A BROTHER."

"I bet you are Paps and Em's gonna need you," Sans white pink pricks slid over to send a devilish gleam at the human whose skin turned translucent, "Because heaven knows I'm not."

What has Papyrus done?


	12. Chapter 12: Time to Change

"Would you like to try a sample of our-"

"No thanks."

Em suppressed the growing glare that itched like a lash in her eye, five stores and she was already tired of hearing that dang sentence!

Shopping wasn't suppose to be this wretched, no one ever made it out to be stressful or filled with other woman or teenagers eyeing each other with unspoken dislike whether it be about shoes or money or looks.

Her entire skin crawled every time she walked into a store.

 _"Look, she's so skinny."_

 _"Wish I was…"_

 _"Bet she's anorexic.."_

All the little gossips that hung in the air made the girls shoulders rise, nasty hunch that fit the sneer she wanted to give.

 _"Wonder what her diet is?"_

That was a new one, and Em couldn't stop the scoffing laugh that ripped from her throat when she ducked around the corner. A small pile of clothes hanging on her arm.

Wouldn't they like to know?

Em could only imagine it as some bad TV commercial, become homeless and loose fifty pounds in just one week!

Try two years of it and yeah you're bound to have a thigh gap girlies.

As well as protruding ribcages, sunspots, callouses the size of baseballs, brittle bones and oh yeah possible human immunodeficiency virus other wise known as HIV!

Because who cares where the food or drugs came from so long as you have them?

Needless to say her time at the mall was less than satisfying, at least the people aspect of it. Em was never use to this much attention, and if any was given at all it came along the lines of pit. Not interest or jealousy or anything else than a tossed look with glistening eyes.

"I DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD MOVE SO QUICKLY EM!"

Paps voice had the girl freeze over, tossing a rough smile over her shoulder to find the two skeletons weaving through the sea of clothing racks. The energetic bag of bones was waving towards her and the others long face was just visible. Heheh, Sans was so short; especially next to his giant of a brother.

"Sorry…I uh got excited." Em lamely admitted holding out the three clothes she had taken off the clearance rack.

That seemed to get Pap going, "EXCELENT CHOICES! NOT THAT I EXPECT ANY DIFFERENT FROM MY SIBLING!"

Eheh, oh. That's right he still hasn't let that go.

The skeleton was a great friend, key word friend.

Apparently because Sans was such a let down of a brother Paps made it his life's goal to train the young human on how to be exceptional. Which meant waking up at five o clock in the morning to go running, eating spaghetti protein shakes, being an hour earlier for work and a ton of other predicaments Em found herself teetering through like some pinball machine.

It was making her sick and that was saying something coming from the one person who lived two years continuously running streets day in and out.

"Thanks..I'm just gonna go try these on."

"DO YOU NOT WANT TO GO LOOK FOR MORE?"

Em could have killed over at the sentence but the memory of a soft couch and warm dinner kept her a float, all she had to do was make it home.

Huh…when did these skeletons become home?

"Not really." The young human admitted silver eyes flickering towards the ground in light shamed manner, maybe if she just didn't make eye contact. Those orbs flickered up and barely caught the long face of the energetic skeleton, eyes drooped and jaw formed in some pout.

Oh gosh she really hated when Paps did that, sure Sans intimidation worked wonders in getting what he wanted but Paps little hurt puppy look came unintentional and each time Em's heart caved.

"Okay yeah sure."

The words barely registered with the air before a grasp formed around her free wrist and the girls heels caught smoke as Papyrus, the goof ball with a goofy grin to match, drug her through the entire store yelling excitedly about some red clothing pieces he had seen earlier.

Sure Em could feel the ant bites of staring people, undoubtedly annoyed at the obnoxious attitude but now the girl couldn't care less. She didn't even feel inclined to shoot a glare when over hearing some old woman's nasty comment, those silver eyes trained on the back of the large skeleton in front of her. A goofy grin challenging Papyrus' own growing along her features. Something warm, almost nice budded in the depths of her heart the poor muscle fluttered in nervous patterns at the sudden foreign feeling.

When was the last time she actually felt peace?

Back there long ago, when chess board games, and worries were miles away.

Somehow Paps had managed to uproot memories that she didn't even remember experiencing, it was….delightful. The world seemed a little less black and white, more sepia. A warm honeysuckle of colors so rich you could smell the sweet dripping liquid.

"WOWIE HUMAN I DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD SMILE LIKE THAT!"

Looking up towards the skeleton he paused in his motion of throwing clothes on her to watch with interest at the quirky grin.

"Hm? Oh.." Em's cheeks light with a small blush, a nervous chuckle echoing from her throat, "I um…I'm just really happy is all."

And like every time before Paps eyes lit with a satisfaction Em had never known before, "THEN I MUST BE DOING AN EXCELENT JOB AS YOUR BRTOHER RIGHT?"

"Y-yeah that's it-"

Two large arms wrapped around her and the girl was held in the air, loose clothes tumbling off the pile Paps had given her as he gave a bone-crushing hug.

"I AM GLAD I HAVE MADE YOU SMILE DEAR SISTER!"

Hahha, what a dork.

A dork hinged on being the sibling of a human girl, Em didn't mind the little fantasy. It was nice to be called such an endearing term from time to time it wasn't as if her brother was around to ruffle her hair and send a cooing grin her way anymore.

So this...this was nice.

"NOW COME LET US SEE YOU IN YOUR CLOTHES!"

"Wh-what?"

"YOU CAN PUT ON A FASHION SHOW FOR US! IT WILL BE LOTS OF FUN AND THAT WAY WE CAN ASSIST IN PICKIGN OUT ONLY THE BEST OUTFITS!"

"I-I don't-"

Sans smirks," I think that's a great idea bro."

Sends a glare his way, don't encourage Paps!

"THEN IT IS DECIDED NEYEHEHE!"

Okay she was wrong...this...this wasn't nice

Em was pushed into a changing room, two scuffle of boots moved to sit back down in the waiting area that lay feet away. A red tinge lay across her cheeks as she picked through the random clothes all of which were some shade of Paps favorite colors.

Laughing sourly the girl held up a crop top and placed it to the side, not like she could wear that with her stitches or even wanted to at that matter.

The session played out for a few minutes, Em's face flashing between mixtures of dislike especially when she pulled out some gaudy sequence crap.

Was there nothing in the forsaken pile that-oh.

This was kind of nice.

It was a simple sleeveless, v cut, button down, black blouse. Nothing flashy or extremely weird about it.

She didn't remember picking this up, shrugging the girl put it in a new pile and plucked through the jeans. Some high waist, loose, denim shorts were pretty cute she'd set those to the side too.

The little red cardigan would go cute with the thrown together outfit.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT EM?"

"I'm fine Paps!" She hollered back, beginning to slip on the clothes, "I'm ah coming out!"

The dork was probably squirming in his seat at this point.

Once settled the girl reached for the knob, the tags itching against her skin and suddenly her face turned bright again. What was she doing? This was so embarrassing she always hated this, even when she was little. Stepping out to gain approval, it didn't matter if only mom had been in the waiting area, Em felt watched and she hated those prying eyes.

'I can do this. I can do this for Paps.' Em reminded herself, the quake in her fingers stopped and she felt braver. Almost excited even to see the smile in his face, yes she could do this for him.

Taking on more settling breath the girl stepped out with a small grin.

The two boys turned to look an already bright face on Paps skull as he glanced her over with a large nod of approval," I SEE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL TASTE IN COLORS!"

Well how could she not when it was him who picked out all the clothes?

"Hehe thanks, so yay or nay?"

"MOST DEFIANTLY A YAY! THOUGH I BELIEVE A FEW ACCESSORIES WOULD DO WELL TO BRING THE OUTFIT TOGETHER."

Goodness, where did Paps learn his fashion sense?

"Alright we can get those before we check out." Em answered before turning to change into something else.

"WAIT, WE MUST SEE WHAT SANS THINKS TOO!"

The girl paused tossing a look over towards the skeleton who sat with his arms crossed boredly staring at a painting, only to send a sly look over through the corner of his eyes little white flecks sliding up along her long bare legs, "Looks good to me."

Heat flowed up her ears and Em ducked back into the changing room, door flapping closed louder than meant too.

"Sorry!" She squealed through her hands trying to hide her embarrassment.

Damn it, she...she didn't mean to react like that.

Didn't mean to react at all actually.

Taking a deep breath the girl lowered her hands, she was fine, she could do this.

Sans was a jerk, nothing more.

'Okay. Okay what's next?'

If she could just focus on the task at hand Em could make it through without gritting her teeth.

All in all the next few came with rounds of approval, Paps gave waves of applause and Sans remarked underhand comments that the poor naive younger brother couldn't catch. They weren't the worse Em had heard, she's had her own fair share of grotesque pick ups, back before she found herself homeless. Because, let's be honest, high school boys were pigs.

And the human could proudly say she managed the entire event without further embarrassment.

That is until she got to the end of the pile.

A look of disdain flashed over the girls face, eyebrows raised and mouth lightly agape as she held up the article of clothing.

It...it was a dress?

Now being a girl means that once in her life she's worn one, and by means she was fine with them. They were after all roomy and bit freeing but this...her stomach rolled over itself.

This thing was pink, a pearl pink lace fabric with two spaghetti straps that helped hold up what the slack off the shoulder long sleeves couldn't. It's was almost strapless in shape if it wasn't for those two thin little lines, and a small crouched pattern lay on the bust area, leaving just enough room between the decoration for skin to appear through. By rough estimate it probably fell mid thigh, though that was only thanks to the inch of sheer lace that hung at the bottom.

There was no way Paps had picked this out and she sure as hell didn't.

Then who-?

The dress dropped from her hands and the girl didn't bother to rethink the answer before gathering the clothes she liked to leave the dressing room.

"Are you guys ready to go?" Em asked tossing a look towards the two chattering brothers.

"MOST CERTAINLY IT IS TIME FOR ACCESSORIES!"

"Wait a second." Sans voice had her freeze over, "Could of sworn you had a dress in that pile of clothes."

The "no" chocked out faster than Em meant to, and she knew she was dead when Sans narrowed his eye sockets. Apparently he didn't appreciate being lied too.

"Besides," She coughed, "I uh don't have enough money to afford one."

And just as that jaw unhinged to speak Paps had already jumped up from his spot, gathering up Em's clothes from her arms, "THAT'S FINE YOU LIKE WONDERFUL IN THESE ANYWAYS EM!" Paps sent a smile before turning to glare playful at the quiet skeleton, "DON'T BE INSENSIBLE SANS!"

Em imagined it was suppose to be a hushed whisper, but it being Paps the words were more like a hushed yell.

"It's all right Paps." The young human waltzed over to pat her friends back and send a cocky grin over towards the other.

Oh if looks could kill, Em would have found herself slammed into the gates of hell headfirst.

"NEYEHHEHE. I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT."

There were no words that the human knew to perfectly capture the shadow of disdain that crossed the older brothers face, his entire features hunched and the once gapped jaw clicked shut with a chatter of bone.

Under the influence of an occupied mind Paps didn't sweat the shadowed glare of his brother and tromped away singing about necklaces, Em knew better than to linger. Afraid that if she stayed log enough for Paps to get out of earshot the short skeleton would lung at her.

Yeah, Sans would defiantly get her back for that one later.


	13. Chapter 13: Time for Change

"It was only a joke." She muttered under her breath, half hoping the skulking monster would hear and turned to catch up with her blubbering new 'sibling.'

Sans couldn't actually be hurt right? Come on, since when had he let one little humans opinion matter to him?

Em didn't think she'd have to reel Paps back in but the pile of silver and gold in front of her made the girl cribbed, those things would drown her if she accidentally fell in a pool of water.

After a brief argument that the human luckily one by a lot of odd reasoning the two went to check out, the line luckily empty.

Thank the heavens Em hated lines, the awkward times of standing to mull in thought and desperately not make eye contact with extroverted members of society who begged to spill the most recent gossip of their lives.

How annoying.

"HELLO HUMAN! WE ARE PREPARED TO CHECK OUT."

Two thin shoulders hunched together, Em's nerves set on fire the minute two little eyes looked up from behind thick glasses.

The older woman standing on the their side of the counter blinked, and Em watched as those eyelids fluttered trying to grasp at this thing in front of its eyes, "I um yes of course. Did you find everything you need?"

At least the cashier was being kind, slowly those tense limbs fell; Em almost felt a sympathetic smile appear on her lips, yeah Paps did tend to overwhelm people.

"OF COURSE WE DID! THERE WAS A WONDERFUL SELECTION OF CHOICES I COMMEND YOUR STORES WARES!"

A light chuckle broke from her wrinkled lips as the elder ran the tags, "Well I am very glad you were so lucky. Did you get a chance to look at our new fall line? Don't want you getting chilly from these summer shorts you know."

This was cute, Em watched standing away from the scene with a tilted head, seeing how Paps seamless interacted with others; a natural knack for doing the impossible, only Papyrus could befriend the cruelest beings to walk the earth.

"IM AFRAID DUE TO LACK OF CURRENCY WE WERE UNABLE TOO."

Two soft brown eyes glanced up now furrowed; Em gave a soft grin that the elder returned. The grey haired genuinely looked sadden.

Ugh pity, bile swirled in the girl's stomach.

"I know exactly what you mean but let me let you in on a little hint, some black tights with these high waist would go lovely and keep you a bit warmer. In fact I think there having a sale now in the store just across from us." The cashier's wink was directed towards Em.

That was…that was kind. It wasn't pity, the usual boo-hoo let me throw you a doe eyed look crap she normally gets. No, this was a tip; a good solid tip that gave Em the capability to survive the harsh winters to come.

Hmp. This old lady was all right.

"WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA! THANK YOU HUMAN."

The cashier chuckled slightly, wrinkled hands quaking as she folded the clothes to place them in a plastic bag. Curiously Em watched the notion wondering fi the quiver was from the hearty laugh or old age that made the woman vibrate like a buzzing phone.

"You are very welcomed Mr…?"

"I AN THE GREAT PAPYRUS."

"Well it was wonderful to meet you Mr. Great Papyrus, the cost will be two forty-five and sixty two cents." She read off the computer through those thick bifocals of hers, a smile held still in place.

That was Em's cue to move, dragging out the money from her pocket the way a smoker drags out a good smoke. Hesitant for it too end.

Giving away money was never easy when she never had to give it away.

Heheh. How ironic, maybe this is why human are so stingy.

The young woman's two fingers found it difficult to slide away from the dollars, her cashier smiled lightly raising her hand to grasp the currency lightly and pull it from Em's grip. To the young woman, it felt like ripping Velcro apart.

"Have a great day now."

With the cashier's sentence barely spoken, Paps had the large bag scooped into his arms taking leaps towards the exit only to call over his shoulder in an excited stream of words, "EM COME WE MUST O FIND THIS TIGHTS SALE!"

"Wait Paps-!" It was hardly worth her breath, Em just sighed scratching the back of her neck that was hot with irritation. No way would she be able to keep up with his pace. When did she become the baby sitter?

Tch. Maybe this is why Sans left them, payback for her earlier comment.

'The jerk.' The sorry thought wasn't the first time crossing her mind, but it was the first in which Em's heart felt forced to believe it.

Geez, a little pink dust brushed across the bridge of her nose at the thought of the cracked skull skeleton, she'd thought it be less difficult to loathe an ass.

A light laugh drifted in the back of Em's mind," He's quite the energetic one."

Hm?

Two grey eyes flickered up to find the cashier staring towards her.

Oh…yeah…Paps.

Sending a similar kind smile, Em shoved her hands in the pockets of that iconic tattered jacket, "You have no idea."

" It's good to be seeing them around."

The cashiers features threw Em off, those brown eyes softened into a puddle. Once old features slackened and sagged into something much more ancient than the elder that stood before her seconds ago.

Just how old was this woman?

"Pardon?" Em managed to stutter out the word.

"Monsters and all, you know, my grandfather died in that war. Suppose that was only foretelling of my son dying in the civil war."

Words felt absent against the bold subject, not many were capable of speaking about such topics much less sigh them out to a stranger.

"You know most people say sorry or something," The elder giggled lightly, wrinkled hand raising to cover a grin," But not you, something about your generation I suppose. Children were never meant to fight in wars and yet..." It seemed her words had caught too and grey hairs shook lightly as her head tossed from side to side," Have a good day Em, take care of yourself...take care of them."

The young human have never mentioned her name, yet the usual tense fear never came instead she nodded towards the old cashier grey eyes brimming with a bright light, "I plan too."

Her cashier didn't reply, instead smiled the way a ghost might having completed unfinished business and turned back towards the computer.

Taking her cue to leave Em left the store, stumbling to a halt outside the shop doors. Now where the hell did Paps go?

Across to the other side right?

Setting off with a sigh Em begin her new quest.

Course Paps was never good at staying in place and Em found herself in the food court after checking the entire east side of the mall. How was she suppose to explain to Sans that she lost his innocent brother in the middle of the busiest building in the entire city? Damn…how was she supposed to find Sans?

Growling low swears under her breath Em stalked past a group of chattering teenagers, heading to another section of stores.

Old, tattered shoes squeaked to a halt, the smell of fresh ink wafting through the air.

A bookstore.

The young human peered at the haven of words to her right, paper money suddenly heavy as weight. Seven dollars, that's all she had left to buy tights.

'But then again,' Em reasoned, chewing on her lips, 'Winter still about a month a half away, it's not even Halloween yet.'

Oh yeah, she could risk it.

Buying books were a luxury she missed, all the ones in the orphanage were old and worn. Not to mention didn't belong to her, Em had been forced to separate from the language affair. Now that she had her own money however…

Em didn't care how many hours went buy, the apocalypse could happen and she would never know so long as there were enough paperbacks to keep her company.

Her fingers had brisked the spine of the thirteenth book when shouting hollered across the store, the lovely little fantasy characters lives shattered around her. Oh right, reality.

"EM! EM!"

Popping her head out of the isle, the human was met with the familiar sight of a red scarf rushing to smother any other inch of color around her.

"I AM VERY SORRY FOR LOOSING YOU!" Paps cried, boney arms digging uncomfortable as his hug tightened, "ONE MOMENT YOU WERE RIGHT BEHIND ME AND THE NEXT-" A cry of worry erupted from the back of the skeletons throat.

And Em found herself at the brutal front of the encounter.

This seemed a bit extreme even for him.

"I THOUGHT YOU HAD BEEN HURT AGAIN!"

A-again.

Guess she really did have a bad habit of getting herself in trouble.

Awkwardly reaching round to pat his shoulder Em muttered a few 'I'm fine' through the thick fabric of his scarf.

And eventually convinced Papyrus, the embodiment of a golden retriever, to set her down. Both of their clothes crinkled by the time he let her go.

The skeletons head hung slightly, red mitten covered hands nervously covering each other. Dang she's never seen him so dejected, he really was worry.

"I am not a very good brother."

Wh-what?

"I have never managed to encourage Sans to do anything outside of being lazy and now I have lost the person who admires me so much."

His voice was so quiet, so hallow. Empty in the way a child might recite some bullies words.

"I do not deserve to have such a great responsibility."

Where did this come from?

Pain clutched a meaty grip around EM's heart, not hesitating to use it as a squeaky toy.

Smiling lightly, Em canine bit down on the inside of her cheek, "You're right you know."

Two blank eye sockets rose to look up in wide shock, as if not expecting her to agree with him.

"You're not a great brother because you're the greatest brother in the world who just so happen to get stuck with the worst brother in the world. And Paps, I do admire you a lot. But…but you're not my brother you're my friend….my best friend. The only friend I've had in a very long time and you're certainly the best."

The surface left Em's feet, face once more smothered in the folds of a warm red scarf that smelled heavily of spaghetti sauce and faint hairspray.

It didn't make sense, Paps didn't even have hair but hell in life a lot of things didn't make sense. What Em did understand was that this was right, this was someone worth protecting besides herself.

And with that the girl flung her arms around to embrace the hug, not caring about the on lookers or annoyed mutters sent their way.

With Paps that didn't matter at all.

All these emotions, the warmth of the hug, the smell of well accustomed scents it was all so overwhelming.

Deep inside Em's soul burned, at least that's how it felt when her crown to her toe was tingling at the warmth sensation that trickled through her.

The broken human didn't want to pull away from the monster that seemed capable of putting everything back together, he was the perfect puzzle solve after all but damn her to hell if she cried in public and so the girl gently pulled away from Paps. Feet thudding back down on the floor.

Rubbing away at the pressure in the back of her eyes the girls gaze drifted from the large bag fo bones in front of her only to freeze at the sight behind him.

Apparently so did everyone else.

The annoyed mutters from teenage girls, gossiping woman and even children paused to watch the new figure that entered room.

Course everyone had their own reaction, little boys looked in awe towards the figure like it was some life size action figure, gossiping woman swiped a nose to head away and the teenage girls well were teenage girls most just stared.

"Sans?"

His name tumbled from her lips before she could catch them.

Sure it was Sans but this…this wasn't Sans.

Not the leather clad, no good alcoholic that lingered out on the street to long.

The usual biker get-up of black tattered pants, combat boots and leather bad boy jacket had been replaced.

Now instead of a exposed boney torso, a thick cream turtle neck covered his top; sleeves folded to his elbow join. Granted the jeans he wore were still black but instead of the saggy and ripped apparel, they were a washed out nicely fit pair with red suspenders that hung from the belt lops. And those mud clad boots where replaced with some shiny new ones, shoelaces still carelessly untied.

Course the leather jacket hung causally off his arm like it always did.

But Sans felt older, was it possible for a skeleton to age in only hours like this?

With the eye rolling bad boy get up jazz gone, this monster actually appeared well handsome.

The smirk even felt new, etched a bit more into the defining features of his skull and a humor light those speckles of white that were his eyes.

He was enjoying the bright pink that snuck across the girl's cheeks that stubbornly tried to look only at his face.

And when his jaw unhinged from a smirk Em expected a quick little remark about his 'eyes are up here'. She defiantly didn't expect the casual lean against a bookcase, wink being tossed towards the direction of some gawking girls that giggled before ducking away and the casual graveled note of his voice hanging in the air.

"Sup?"


End file.
